


Our Brooklyn Promenades

by ExistentialMalaises



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Eventual Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Smut, New York City, Slow Burn, Steve is trying to figure out how to date and commit, a bit of angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-16
Updated: 2017-06-24
Packaged: 2018-10-31 04:23:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 32,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10891617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ExistentialMalaises/pseuds/ExistentialMalaises
Summary: What do we have here? It is an unlikely tale of [Y/N] running into Steve in the midst of taking care of her laundry somewhere in Brooklyn, of making Captain America her man, and keeping it that way. Twelve dates spread over roughly eight months, and one engaging epilogue.





	1. The Laundromat

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for clicking to read this story. I was missing New York City a lot, so I decided to write about it. It's a lot of fluff. Knowing me, I would have gone for pain and angst... but you can thank my sister for the fluff. She wanted Steve to have some happiness... and he sure does deserve that. **Happy reading!**

If she were really silent and listened attentively, [Y/N] could perceive the enrapturing echoes and reverberations of the City: The rustling of her jeans’ pocket filled with old candy wrappers and money when she searched through it, the jingling of coins while she counted them in her hand, the flickering of the malfunctioning white lights in the quiet laundromat as she found an empty washing machine, the erratic juddering of performing laundry machines. [Y/N] enjoyed the insubstantial noises that filled the silence when she was at the laundromat. She closed the door of her selected laundry machine and put in her coins. She tried to come here every week so she would not have a very heavy load. She read a new book each time to make the time pass by quicker, while she sat on a dryer across from her machine. Technically, she was not allowed to do that and there were chairs around, but there was usually no one to stop her. The quaking buzz allowed her to calm her mind as she flipped through the pages and almost reached the end of the story. When the dinging sound came she put her book away, and put her headphones on, cancelling out other sounds. Happy with her choice of music, she began to unload the machine. Her newly cleaned clothes smelled wonderfully fresh. It was a scent she could smell forever. She sighed contentedly while she put her clothes in a clean bag and softly sang along to the music in her ears. 

“Excuse me, ma’am?” A man behind her said, but she did not hear him. He made another effort, tapping his finger on her shoulder and his voice a bit louder, “Excuse me, ma’am?”

Her body jumped at the unexpected touch, and she turned around to see who would scare her like that. With anxious eyes she found a blonde man towering over her. 

“Jesus Christ!” She almost shouted, while she removed her headphone and took a step back. 

“I’m sorry, ma’am. I didn’t mean to alarm you.” He gave her an apologetic smile and put his hands in the air to indicate that he was harmless. 

“You might wanna rethink your actions then.” She looked at him expectantly. 

“I’m really sorry. I wasn’t **—** “

“What do you want?” 

“Right. It looks like I don’t have enough quarters for my laundry.”

“Yes….”

“Turns out it’s much heavier than I thought.”

“So?”

“I was wondering if you could spare a couple of quarters. I’m really sorry about this.” 

She gave him a look-over. He had taken a step back to create more distance between them and he seemed more anxious than her right now, which made her relax again. 

“Yeah, alright. I still have some quarters. How much do you need?”

“About 5.” He rubbed his neck and gave her a small smile. 

She reached inside the pocket of her jeans again and handed him the coins. He thanked her once more and walked back to his washing machine. After he put his dirty laundry in the machine, he turned around, because he wanted to thank the girl _again_ and tell her that he would pay her back, even if it only were a couple of dollars, but he found out that the darkly-lit laundromat was empty. The girl had left already. Disappointed he grabbed his notebook and began drawing as he waited for his laundry to finish.

A week later, when [Y/N] went back to do her laundry again, at the same place around the same time, she saw him again. He was sitting on a chair, shoulders hunched over, with a notebook and pencil in his hands. She eyed him quickly before she walked past him to an empty washing machine. His face was deep in concentration and his tongue peeked out of his mouth slightly, touching his bottom lip while he moved his pencil in a repeated upward motion. 

The passing footsteps brought him back to reality and he looked at the person who walked by,and when he noticed it was the girl he had been waiting for, he got up quickly and put away his tools. He had wanted to pay her back for her kindness, especially after he realized he had startled her. Putting his hair back in place, a nervous habit and wasted effort since his hair really was not out of place to begin with, he walked up to her. 

“Uhh, excuse me, ma’am?”

She turned to him, amused by his formality but tried not to show it in her face. “Yes?”

“Hi. I’m Steve. From last week when you lent me money for the washing machine.”

“I remember.” She put her laundry bag down on the floor and opened the empty machine. 

“Right, well I just wanted to give you back the money you lent me.” He reached inside his pocket.

She shrugged. “I didn’t loan it to you. It was an offering for, let’s say, a fellow man in need. The least I could do in comparison for what you do for us.” 

“Ah.” **–** He kept his hand in his pocket **–** “…but still I feel obliged to **—** “

“Steve, right? There’s really no need to give me back a couple of dollars. Also, it’s kinda creepy that you waited for me to do just that. It’s been a week.”

“Oh I was aiming for kind.”

“No, I’m going to stick with creepy.” She flashed him a smile and he visibly relaxed. 

The two of them continued to chat as they both waited for their laundries to finish. [Y/N] thought he was surprisingly easy to talk to, something she had not expected from the handsome man who wore a star-spangled suit to save lives on a daily basis. Of course she knew about him. Anyone with cable or an internet subscription knew about him. And the others. He had always seemed so out of reach, and yet, right here, in his ordinary tan jeans and simple white -but extremely tight- shirt, to her, he was very approachable. _I guess I should thank my lucky stars. How many are there on his suit again?_

_“_ Anyways, Steve. What brings you to this laundromat - besides me?”

He smiled at her last couple of words and leaned on one of the inoperative machines, “I like the coin system. Everything nowadays is done with the swipe of a magic money card, and this place reminds of my time. What about you? It does not look like one of the safest laundromats around.” 

“Well, I’ve got you to protect me now.” 

He laughed again and tilted his head slightly, “Oh, really?” 

“Really…”She smiled and they shared a quiet moment, their eyes speaking louder than any verbal word possibly could. After some seconds, he returned the smile, but diverted his eyes to his feet, so she spoke again,“It just is the closest one to my place, and I’m really not about to walk further away from my apartment with heavy laundry. If the machines clean my clothes, then I don’t care what the place itself looks like.”

“Do you live around here then?” He followed up.

“Uh, that’s not a good question to ask a girl when she already thinks you’re a bit of a creeper.”

“Oh… No, [Y/N]. I didn’t mean **—** ”

“I’m joking, Steve.” 

He let out a little puff, before he laughed again. She sure kept him on his toes, and it was something he was not very used to. Then again, talking with women like this in a non-professional setting was not something he did everyday, but Natasha kept pushing and threatening him, and so here he was trying again.

“Ah. You live in hipster Brooklyn? How incongruous of you.” [Y/N] stated after she had returned his question. 

‘Sorry, incongruous?” 

“It’s not the type of area I would associate with Captain America, you know.” 

“Oh, well, the places in Brooklyn got really expensive since I last lived here, so I had to go with what I could get, and I got really lucky with my apartment but I don’t think where I live it is what you call ‘hipster’.” 

“Fair enough. And yeah, gentrification will make any area more expensive for you.” 

“Right, you’ve not been the only one to bring up this topic around here.” 

“It _is_ a hot topic. Doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy the delicious coffee from Devoción though.” 

“Devotion?’” 

“H-mm, it’s a great coffee place in that area. You should definitely visit if you like coffee.” 

Steve seemed to be catching up. “I’m not the biggest fan of coffee, but I wouldn’t mind buying you one there. It would be a great way to offer my gratitude, since you won’t accept my money.” 

“Well, I think I like this arrangement far better.” The side of her mouth raised, and he let out a little chuckle as his eyes shifted to his feet again. 

“Great. I don’t have my phone on me, so I don’t know my schedule, but if you just text me then we can pick a date later.” 

“You know, for a man with as many responsibilities as you, you seem to be a bit unorganized.” 

He laughed again, “Mobile phones are pesky little things. I keep misplacing mine when I don’t need it.” 

“But they’re oh-so important as this moment proves.” She grabbed her phone and his smile became bigger. “So what number do I text to then?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Find me on [Tumblr](https://existentialmalaises.tumblr.com/). If you enjoyed the chapter/story, please leave a kudos and/or comment! I'd love to read your thoughts. Next chapter will be up soon!


	2. Devoción

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [Y/N] and Steve go on their first date, and get to know each other a teensy bit better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was playing around with text messaging here, so you're going to find two random pictures in the text lol. Tell me what you think of it? Yay or nay? It's only going to be in this chapter though. No worries!

Early mornings before [Y/N] started with her workdays were her favorite. Most people she knew preferred the eventide to slow down their minds after a long workday, but her mind would come to live again as darkness inched closer. No, this was definitely her moment. It was her alone-time, quiet and isolated from the rest of the world. The City was barely awake. There was only the hushed babel of voices on the streets, and the chirping of birds outside of [Y/N]’s window. Taking another sip of her dark and bitter coffee, she tried to stimulate that sleepy mind of hers by scribbling down her thoughts and ideas, and by rereading her notes from the day before. The morning sun arose through her window and warmed her neck and shoulders. It was like a relaxing embrace. Yes, this was definitely her moment. 

The soft beeping sound of her mobile phone drew [Y/N]’s attention away from her journal. She leaned towards the coffee table and her eyes glanced over the screen of her cellphone. It was Steve. She gently chewed on her lips and took hold of the device. It had not taken him a long time to text back, and for the two of them to set up a date. Due to his demanding job and his open hours, he was unable to commit until two weeks after. It had made [Y/N] feel slightly disappointed since he had been so open and approachable during their talk, but fortunately he did not stop texting her back. Instead he would send her a random message every other day to see how she was doing. His responses weren’t quick, but he was attentive. With each new text she received from him, her excitement grew and she eagerly awaited their coffee date. It also reassured her that she was not just a silly girl with a silly little thing for Captain America - because who would not? _He’s a hunk of a man, after all_. His continuous interaction must mean that the interest to get to know one another better was, at the least, reciprocated. 

Her feather light fingers tapped away on her screen. A playful grin rested on her face as she imagined all the possible reactions he could give to her little provocations. The three bubbles kept on moving and she grew impatient. With a sigh she put her phone with the screen-side flat on the couch, tapping her fingers on her journal before she returned to it. Those three bubbles sure knew how to make her feel anxious, but the discussion of the details of their date still managed to entertain her.

 

 

  

 

After walking through a dark passageway, Steve marveled at the interior design of _Devoción_. He was not alone in this. [Y/N] did not just enjoy the coffee here, but she also loved the interior. The rectangular-shaped coffeeshop looked both upscale and industrious, because of the high brick walls, the steel beams and the smooth stone floor. It was furnished with posh leather sofas, wooden (coffee) tables, and brown-toned decoration. In the middle of the room there was a wall of plants and the ceiling was made of transparent windows that let in a lot of light. It was unique. The vibrant traces of greens and ochres always put [Y/N] in a serene and appreciative state-of-mind. She beamed when she caught the expression on Steve’s face.

“Wow, this is really impressive for a coffee place. They sure did not look like this back in my day.” He said once he noticed she was observing him.

“That’s hipsters for you.”

“Huh, ok.” He looked at the menu behind the barista as they waited in line to order their coffee.

Out of the extensive list of choices she went for her regular, a soya cappuccino with caramel, which usually got her a lifeless look from the barista because they did not offer any added flavors, but as always she ignored them. _It was a purist type of hipster place_. But Steve’s choice seemed to be just as unacceptable as hers, a fruity lemonade since he was not in the mood for coffee, so they already had something mutual to bond over.

“You keep saying ‘back in my day’, but this is your day-and-age now too, you know?”

“I guess I didn’t think of it like that, but… you aren’t wrong. It’s just hard to adapt sometimes.”

“I can’t imagine how weird it is for you, but for what it’s worth, you seem to be coping well.”

“It’s worth a lot. Thanks.” He gave her a genuine smile and they sat down at a small table in the back, away from people. 

“Though you could work on your speed when you’re typing a message. Waiting for those three bubbles to turn into words, is like waiting for Windows to finish its update.” 

“Windows is a computer system, right?”

[Y/N] nodded after she repressed a smile by taking a sip of her deliciously-deplorable-coffee. 

Their easy correspondence kept growing stronger, even if Steve had a suspicion that she liked to banter around -a lot of it- at his expense, it only meant that he was able to let go of or at least not think about the stress that everyday life brought with it for him. When he was talking with [Y/N] he knew he had to focus on her, and not his work, so he would not be playing catch-up. He enjoyed the challenge, and she enjoyed teasing him. 

“So do you come to this place a lot?” He tried to keep the conversation going. 

“Only when I’m in the neighborhood, but there are plenty of great coffeeshops near me, so I’d need a good reason to make it all the way over here.” She languidly stirred her cappuccino. 

“Hm.”

“Yes, _this_ is a good enough reason.”

He smiled at her words and took a sip of his fresh lemonade, “I’m glad.” 

“Then tell me more about you, Steve.” She raised her eyebrows as her eyes flickered with excitement. 

“Uhh, what would you like to know?” He put down his drink and sat straighter. 

“Hmm.” She looked behind him thoughtfully as her lips slightly puckered to the side and a finger reached her mouth. She tapped her finger against her mouth a couple of times, before she looked back at him. “I’ll start of with an extremely important question.”

He waited patiently for her to continue. 

She rested her chin on her hand now, ready for his reactions, as she smiled at him sweetly and said, “What’s your favorite color?”

“Hah! A very important question. I actually don’t have one.”

“You don’t?! I was convinced it was going to be either red, white, or blue.”

He laughed, “Hm, I’d like to think I’m not that cliché.”

“That’s good. That’s an answer in itself.” She picked up the yellow-ochre coffee mug from their table and brought it to her lips again, gently blowing away some of the heat. 

As quick as a flash, his azure orbs glanced at the movement, before he fixated them on her inquisitive eyes once more. The corner of her lip twitched upwards when she caught a glimpse of his subtle stare. 

“Ok, what about… your favorite love song?” She asked.

“Wait - you still have to tell me your favorite color.”

“Oh, it’s _surely_ either red, white, or blue.” Her voice sounded much sultrier than she had intended to, and after a short silence the two of them bursted out in nervous laughter. 

“I-I don’t know what to say to that.” He did not stop smiling though. 

[Y/N] just raised her shoulders innocently and slowly took a sip of her soya cappuccino without the caramel. _I feel so incomplete_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're ever in Brooklyn, make sure you get a coffee at Devoción!


	3. The Bagel Store

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Breezy dresses, sunny days, and so much to discover in Brooklyn. [Y/N] and Steve get a bagel from The Bagel Store.

A soft spring breeze gusted through the air and made [Y/N]’s mauve dress ruffle at the bottom. With quick hands she closed her tailored blazer and wrapped her arms around her body to stop the wind from spreading to her upper body. Once again Steve and [Y/N] met up near his place. He had made a comment during their first date about enjoying bagels when they discussed their favorite breakfast meals, and it had reminded her of one of her favorite bagel places where they sold the most delicious bagels with extremely unique toppings and combinations. In short, she had been very enthusiastic about the place, so the location of their second date was easily decided. 

“For as much as you hate on those hipsters, you sure do like their places.” Steve mumbled after they walked into the unadorned shop and he had a chance to look around at the people.

“Ouch. Touché.” She was impressed with his snarky remark. “You’re right. I’m a sucker for cool hangs and yummy food places, and _The Bagel Store_ is another prime example.”

“We’re all contradictory people.” 

“Oh, don’t pull your punches, Captain.” She winked at him amusedly, before she walked up to the counter, and he looked away, a faint blush creeping up his cheeks. Not because she winked at him, but because of what he had said. It was unlike him to be cheeky with women - if they were friends then maybe, but [Y/N] and him… they weren’t _just_ friends. 

[Y/N] had been craving sugar all day, so she ordered her favorite: the rainbow bagel with birthday cake, which got her a look of amazement from Steve (it was very colorful), but she shot that down quickly with a playful remark. He ordered a plain bagel with spinach artichoke cheese, after she had scolded him for wanting to order something as boring as a plain bagel with cream cheese when there were more than dozens of options. 

With their newly-purchased bagels and refreshing drinks in hand, the two took a promenade through Metropolitan Avenue. The sun-drenched City was bright and lively, and people bustled into and out of the buzzing streets. [Y/N] always tried to revel in moments like these for they were rare and sybaritic. People seemed untroubled and more alive, and so did she. It was infectious. The temperature was just right for her to feel the love of the sun, and the sway of the wind kept her attentive of her surroundings. Step for step, they languidly made their way towards the Grand Ferry Park. 

“What? This is _wild_ , isn’t it?” Steve lifted his bagel to demonstrate it, before taking a bite. 

With a cheerful smile, she commented. “Oh, yeah, green veggies. Living on the edge.” 

“Hey, I like my veggies.” 

“I can tell.” Her eyes slowly glided down his body, and when she looked him in the eyes again he had grown a shade redder and rubbed his neck in response, quickly avoiding eye-contact. 

[Y/N] could not help but smirk at how easily she had provoked him. Her heart sped up a little, as she took pleasure in his reaction to, what he probably considered, her forward behavior. It only made her feel more brazen. _At least like this, he’d know I was not playing around… that much_. 

“Now _The Bagel Store_ definitely is a place I will be returning to on my own. I’ll be able to eat something different for breakfast everyday with the menu selection they have.” Steve said as theywalked by the big rocks at the park, and sat down next to each other on a wooden garden bench that gave them a scenic view of the East River and Manhattan. 

“Are you not much of a home chef, more of a take-out chef?”

“Well, I’m _really_ busy.”

“Yeah?”

“Hm, leading the Avengers is not an easy task.”

“How come?” She placed her elbow on the backrest and rested her chin slightly against the palm of her hand, leaning towards him and listening intently.

His body turned towards her too and he said, “Oh, well, you’re dealing with people who have big personalities.”

“Huh, yeah.” **–** She scoffed at his understatement **–** “Oh, sorry. Go on.” 

“That’s ok. It just takes a lot of planning, strategizing, and training… There’s just a lot that goes into making sure the wheels are greased.”

“That does sound challenging. Not at all what I expected your daily job to be like.”

“What did you expect?”

“Honestly? I’ve no idea.”

“Fortunately, we don’t have to engage in earth-shattering battles with an enemy everyday. That’s something.” 

“And New York City thanks you for that.” It was hard for her not to make light of the situation - even if those situations had been destructive to world. She had to say something that would hopefully defuse the tension she began to notice in his shoulders. 

His lips parted a little bit, and her eyes were immediately drawn to them. When he pressed them together tightly, her vision traveled back up. “Too much?” She asked. 

“No, just… an unexpected joke.” His body came a little closer, but he seemed unaware. 

She was not, though. 

She slowed down her breathing immediately, before she uttered, “Hey, there’s no denying that there’s been a lot of… explosive Avengers gatherings… all over the City, heck… all over the world.”

“There’s definitely no denying that. Hence why it’s not an easy job.”

“I’m sure you’re more than up for the challenge, Steve. You seem like the most… composed Avenger from what I’ve learned from news bits and interviews, or lack thereof.” Her fingers gently glided over his shoulder to remove the fluff off his shirt.

His eyes had lowered to the movement of her hand, and when his eyelashes slowly raised to meet her eyes once more, she felt nervous butterflies fluttering in the pit of her stomach. Unsure of what she was doing, she retracted her hand. 

“Thank you, [Y/N]. You’re sweet.” His voice was low and the corners of his mouth turned upward in a small smile, then he quietly turned his face towards the river and gazed at the setting sun. As the sky glowed brightly with golden and orange lights of the gloaming, she felt a flush of desire rise to her cheeks. _Oh, boy. I’m going to be in so much trouble_. 

She could no longer concentrate. Sure, she still listened to the things he told her. Sure, she was still actively conversing with him, but her mind was elsewhere. The only thing she could really focus on was keeping those horrible butterflies in check while she tried to rationalize the sudden development of an infatuation with her date. Each time he gazed into her eyes, she suddenly felt the need to look away. _Why am I the one who is doing the hiding the now?_ She did not appreciate feeling like a blushing school girl. _It’s those damn eyelashes: must be some kind of sorcery._ She believed in magic since the existence of the Avengers. They sure opened up her eyes. _Looks like Captain America is trying to open other parts of me now. Oh my god, I can’t believe I thought that_. 

“[Y/N]? Are you listening?”

“Huh? Of course, I’m listening!” **–** She bit the inside of her cheek **–** “What were you saying again?”

He simpered at her strange behavior and said, “I was asking about next weekend. I’ve got time then. What do you want to do… with me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The rainbow bagel with birthday cake cream cheese is sickeningly good. Google some pictures! A definite must when in Brooklyn! Find me on [tumblr](https://existentialmalaises.tumblr.com/)! Don't forget to give kudos and/or comments if you liked the chapter. Thanks for reading :)


	4. DUMBO

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's their fourth date and Steve surprises [Y/N] with something old and new!

[Y/N] was nothing if not patient -or so she told herself- but when Steve still had not kissed her after their third date, but had given her another quick and friendly hug instead, she had grown a little bit frustrated. She understood that he was the type of man who probably preferred to take things slow, but she was a red-blooded woman and she had her physical needs. Those involved more than unspoken stares and sexually-laden brushes of their bodies, so his passiveness only encouraged her to be more active. 

Staring out of the window of her Uber, [Y/N] silently took in all the pretty bright lights. Those lights had an almost enchanting effect. The twinkling rays that streamed from the luminous buildings and signs always succeeded in seducing her distracted mind. She glanced back down at her phone and her thoughts wandered back to him. _Perhaps he’s friend-zoning me? But then why are we going out again tonight? I’m overthinking this._ It was [Y/N]’s least favorite part of developing feelings for someone else, because it meant she became a little less carefree and a little bit more concerned with what the hell was going on between them. 

It was their fourth date, and she decided that she would take the first step, if he would not. When the time had come, Steve had taken the lead in terms of planning. She was really excited about tonight, because she did not know what to expect. In the hopes of making her outfit work, she had put on a flowing knee-length black dress with a white floral print. It was somewhat bohemian, it was somewhat classy, it was somewhat girly, and it was a whole lot of comfortable. _It had to work_. This time around, he had picked a secret location, so he could share with [Y/N] a part of Brooklyn that he liked.

“You’ve taken me to DUMBO?” She asked.

“Dumbo?”

“The Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass.”

“You seem to know more about Brooklyn than I do.”

“It’s just a name, Steve. And just like you, I’ve grown up here too. Working class family and all. We’re not that different, you and I.” 

“It’s true.” **–** He gave her a smile **–** “But I’m sure you don’t know this.” 

He walked into a secluded alleyway and motioned [Y/N] to come after him. With a curious smile she followed him into the street and down an underlit basement. 

She looked around cautiously. “This isn’t creepy at all.”

“I’m really not a creep, you know.”

“I’m still working that out.” She nudged his arm jokingly and he chuckled. 

“Come, we’re almost there.” He took her by the hand and led them towards the stairs. 

She glanced at their entwined hands, and the fluttering sensation in her stomach returned just like that. 

“We have to get in via the basement to take the stairs somewhere else?”

“Hm, it’s a pretty private place.”

“That you have access to?”

“Well, my family used to know the owner’s family, and… I’m Captain America. It _can_ open some doors.”

“Oh, Steve. Didn’t think _you’d_ be like that.” She teased as she squeezed his hands. 

She saw him burn up again, before he said, “I wanted to do something special for you.” 

They walked up the stairs, and then he took her through a small passageway, only to walk towards a stairwell. [Y/N] wondered if the building did not have an elevator instead, because she was not wearing the right shoes for this. 

“If this is your idea of romance, Steve, then I hate to break it to you, but…”

“We’re almost there, promise.” He gave her a reassuring smile. 

Many flights of stairs later, all accompanied by complaints from [Y/N], Steve and [Y/N] walked up the rooftop. She noticed the big screen at the edge of the roof, and in front of it, on the ground, there laid a blanket covered with colorful plushy pillows, folded blankets, and from what she could tell, a bottle of wine and a variety of crunchy snacks. The whole thing was encircled by blue-green glittering mason jars.

“Wow.” **–** She was a bit out of breath, but looked around in amazement **–** “There’s a secret rooftop theater here?”

He seemed content with her reaction and explained, “It’s technically not a rooftop theater, but the family used to own a drive-in theatre downstairs and was willing to help me take a walk down memory lane. A modernized version, if you will.” 

The big screen stood against the background of the Brooklyn Bridge, which offered a beautiful panoramic view of the shimmering bright lights of the city that gently dwindled to golden-brown trickles of water into the dusky river during the night. 

“This is amazing, Steve! I would have never envisaged this.”

“That was the plan.” 

“Did you come up with it all by your lonesome self?” She took a few steps towards him, her hips swaying from side to side, and her eyes fixed on his.

“I had a little help. A little… _bird_ guided me.” He gave a mysterious smile followed by a nervous chuckle once her body was only inches away from his. 

“Well, tell him or her I said thanks.” She stood still in front of him and her heart had begun to race again. 

His gesture was incredibly romantic and entirely unexpected, and she wanted to reward him -and herself- for it. Steve had gone quiet and was staring at her. She saw that he gulped, and a small smile appeared on her face. _He’s just as nervous as I am. I can do this. He won’t reject me_. Like every other girl with eyes, [Y/N] had long admired his physical features. His azure pools, so full with emotion, were eyes she wanted to drown in. Her own eyes fluttered down to his lips; they were soft and pink, and longing to be touched. But now that she was getting to know his kind heart too, she feared she was going to fall head over heels in love with him. Knowing what she wanted to do next had made her throat go dry. She swallowed deeply and began to lean in as the world around them began to fade away. 

A short high-pitched ringing sound pulled them out of their trance, making him clear his throat and look at [Y/N]’s purse. 

“I think that’s your phone.” 

“Ah. Great timing. I’ll just turn off the sound, sorry.” She quietly cursed herself.

He started walking to the big screen to give her some privacy, but once he saw that she moved towards him and his little arrangement of fabrics and nourishment, he explained, “You can choose the movie. The screen is connected to this thing called Netflix, so we get access to a bunch of movies. Pretty amazing, right?”

“Right.” She smiled at his enthusiasm. 

The two sat down next to one another, and found comfort and warmth underneath fuzzy blankets, while she let him explain to her why ‘thing this called Netflix’ is amazing. The two did not take long figuring out which movie to watch, since Steve had a lot of catching up to do. He told her he was going through all the classics, and had already finished with _Star Wars_ , and was well on his way through _Star Trek_ , so [Y/N] picked out _The Matrix_ , because she believed that was another science-fiction movie he should see. He had some difficulty with understanding some of the computer lingo, but he mostly got the gist of the movie and afterwards the two got in a reflective debate about how the concept of _The Matrix_ could be applied to their world. 

“You make some great points. Life could be just like _The Matrix_.” Steve concluded pensively. 

“Yeah, who knows!Perhaps the ‘glitches’ we experience are actual signs.”

“Hm, the déjà vu experience is very peculiar.”

“Oh! I just remembered. This one time I was rewatching this horror movie with my dad, a movie that I found really scary as a kid. It’s called _It_ , and it’s about this clown, who is… well, scary. Anyways, we were home alone and seated next to each other on the couch, with a newspaper in-between us.”

“Ok?”

“At the end of the movie the newspaper wasn’t there anymore. And neither of us had moved.” She looked at him expectantly, awaiting his response, wondering what he was thinking. He gave her a disbelieving look, but remained silent. 

“Explain that!” She raised her eyebrows.

“Ehhh, maybe you two were so concentrated on the movie that you didn’t notice what happened with the newspaper.”

“That sounds just as stupid as it being a glitch, you know.” 

“Well, at least you admit the glitch _also_ sounds stupid.” 

[Y/N] laughed and was slightly taken aback by his quick wit, “Touché, Steve. You’re getting better at this.”

“You seem to bring it out of me.” He shook his head from side to side, before he took another sip of his drink, with a satisfied smile warming his face. 

As the date had come to an ending, [Y/N] had a hard time repressing that warm budding sensation that was growing inside of her. It had been a perfect night for her. No man had ever gone through such lengths to plan a romantic evening together, and certainly not this early in the (not even established) relationship. Her expectations kept growing and she could not help but feel ecstatic. 

“That movie was a real eye-opener.” He said as he walked up with her on the brown staircase of her apartment building. 

“I’m really glad you liked it. It’s one of my favorites.” She stopped walking and turned to him. 

“I’m glad you liked the date.” He removed his hands from his pockets. 

“Then I’m glad we’re both glad.” _Dear God…_

He chuckled, but quieted down when she took a step towards him. His eyes flickered to her lips, and she bit the bottom of her lip lightly in response. He looked back in her eyes, realizing she caught his stare, and a look of vulnerability and desire crossed his face. He had been trying to remain a gentleman all through the night, but now that the night had come to an end, it became harder not to give into his impulses. Feeling exposed, he contemplated his next move as his vision lowered again. Tired of waiting for Steve to make the first move, [Y/N] slid her hand behind his neck. 

“I’ve been wanting to do this all night…” She whispered before she closed her eyes and softly brushed her lips against his. 

His lips were soft and she wanted to draw out the kiss, but she retreated her lips from his instead, their faces now only inches apart. The ball was in his court now, and that was a scary thing. With closed eyes, she waited for his reaction as her nerves were out of control in the pit of her stomach. He pushed her fears away when he placed a hand on her waist and nudged her closer to him again. Her eyes fluttered open. His expression was kind, but intense, and it sent a fiery rush of desire up her chest. 

“Me too.” His voice sounded different. 

He gazed intently at her lips, before he leaned in and smoothly swept his lips over hers. The caress of his mouth was gentle, and his movements were small, but he felt warm and inviting. His tongue never left his mouth, and it made her crave him even more, then only seconds later he broke the kiss with a smile. 

“I… should go.” He sought out her eyes and could not help but continue smiling. 

“Ok.” **–** She wanted to protest, but leaned in again to peck him on the lips instead **–** “Thanks for the date, Steve. It was truly amazing.”

“Thank you too.” His eyes were open a little wider and kept looking for hers, but she had a hard time looking back.

“Goodnight.” She sighed and gave him another peck before she walked into her brown apartment building.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When you're thirsty for smooches from Steve. *casual shrug*


	5. Momofuku Milk Bar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Milkshakes to cool off? Yep. Steve and [Y/N] are slowly establishing some ground rules.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short and light chapter, but I hope you like it. Please leave a comment if you do!

A kiss from Captain America had been her heart’s desire for a many weeks now - well, that was not entirely truthful. She had wanted to taste him ever since he had approached her for a second time, like the not-creeper that he is. The first time he had spoken to her, she had not immediately recognized him, but she did wonder if it was him. When she arrived home and googled him regret had instantly washed over her, because she had left without saying a word. So when he specifically waited for her at the laundromat, it had filled her with a sense of accomplishment. _Sure, so he said it was for the sake of paying me back… but I think it’s safe to say that it was more than just that_. [Y/N] grabbed her purse and checked her teeth in the mirror. _Nope, no lipstick._ Her desire to lock lips with him took over when he had talked to her again, and had smiled at a silly joke she made. He had this way of smiling with his eyes, they expressed a genuine kindness that was heartwarming, and it made her want to touch him. It made her want to kiss him. When his lips parted slightly as he was concentratedly listening to her, sparks of lust coursed through her and she knew. She had to taste him. 

“Hey.” Her voice was small, but she tried to straighten her frame in the hopes of at least appearing more confident than she sounded. It was not that she was not confident, but it was that he had been able to make her shy, and she did not understand why he had this effect on her. She had never been that shy around men before, not even as a teenager.

Perhaps she had begun to feel this way, because he took his damnedest time to get to know her without sexualizing her, which put her in a situation in which she felt more like the hunter rather than the prey. Being the hunter, the assertive one, was not entirely unfamiliar to her, but those were never meaningful occasions, and she was not as invested as she was now, and perhaps that was something that scared her a little. He made her feel vulnerable. 

His eyes did the thing they always did, and her heart began to race again. He leaned forward and placed a modest peck on her lips, “Hey.” His voice was soft, like he too was struggling with overwhelming feelings. 

“It’s good to see you.” He broke their trance. 

“H-mm. You too.”

“So where are you taking me?” 

“Right here, around the corner. _Momofuku Milk Bar_.” She began to walk, and he followed her. 

“Momo-what? A milk bar?” He put his hands in his pockets, and his triceps tensed. 

She sighed at the sight, “Euhm, yeah. Thought we could get some shakes, or cookies, or cake. Something sweet.”

“I’m definitely up for that.”

They walked into a small store with a neon-light that flickered the word “milk”. The place was not crowded like it usually was, because [Y/N] knew when she should avoid it. It was a simple shop with wooden and white decor, and had a huge variety of choices on the colorful menu. 

“Another hipster place?” Steve asked with a small smile as he examined his options. 

She averted his gaze teasingly, “Yes…”

“Hm, should I go for the thing you had on your bagel last time. What was it again?”

“The birthday cake. Yeah, they have that here too.”

“Birthday Cake Shake? Love the name.”

“Think I’ll be patriotic and get the… Red White and Blue Shake.” She gave him a cheeky smile. 

“You’re picking that one on purpose, huh?”

“Probably.” She beamed now. 

“Well, I hope it’s good.” He shook his head but laughed nonetheless. 

“I’m sure it’ll taste just _delicious_.”

After they got their milkshakes they languidly strolled along the crowded street of Metropolitan Avenue. They seemed to keep returning to this area, to his neighborhood. She wondered when she would get an invitation back to his place. They slowly sipped on their cold drinks and embraced the beautiful architecture Brooklyn offered, they paid attention to the jostling and clamorous crowd of people who came out on cool summer days, and they admired the colorful parade of cars, taxis and busses that were on their way home to and from Manhattan. Before they knew it, hours had passed by and the day was coming to its end.

“What about a proper date next time?” Steve interrupted her train of thoughts.

She lifted her head towards him, “Proper?”

“You know, dinner and dancing?” 

“Is that how you used to do it, Steve?”

“I-uhhh, didn’t do a lot of dating. I still don’t date often.” 

“Oh?”

“Work keeps me busy…” He took a big sip of his Birthday Cake Shake.

“Yeah, you told me about how complicated your life is. I get it.” 

He just nodded silently, and [Y/N] took his hand in her own. 

“Yet here you are.” She squeezed his hand.

“Here I am.” He gave her a small smile while he rubbed his thumb over her wrist. 

“Care to explain that?” 

“There was… just something about you. I liked your lightheartedness… your teasing.” 

“Hm, alright, I’ll take the compliment.” 

He chuckled, “Oh, because you weren’t fishing for one?”

“Shh, Steve.” She grinned and put her fingers on his lips to playfully quiet him, and he stopped all his actions as his eyes fluttered from her eyes to her lips. 

Those azure blues held so much intent in them, loudly articulating what his mouth left unspoken. While all the noises around them seeped away, an intoxicating tension filled the air, her heart went into overdrive, and their bodies were pulled closer to one another. She slowly removed her fingers from his lips and stared at how soft they looked. Her hand traveled down to his chest, and the movement made his skin tingle while it spread a throbbing heat down her body. Their eyes closed when their lips pressed together lightly. He tasted sweet like the milkshake he had been drinking earlier, and she eagerly gave him more access so she could prolong and savor the kiss. She had missed his warm and gentle mouth all week, and now that she could taste him again, she wanted nothing else. _Red, white and blue_ was her favorite flavor from now on. 

His sweet and modest movements made her hungrier for more, and so her hand slithered from his chest to his back, so she could softly press her upper body against his. His abdomen felt firm, and warmth was oozing from him, which only intensified her own heat. While his hands moved to her face, her hands remained still even though they were itching to explore, to feel how other parts of his body felt, but she tried to restrain herself as she twirled her tongue around his. [Y/N] took more control and sped-up the pace, which caused her knees to become weaker while their kisses became deeper. 

Without a warning he removed his lips from hers, their bodies still touching and his hands still on her face, and he took a gulp of air. He gazed at her intently, those azure blues had darkened, and a soft-pink tinge was developing on his cheeks. She raised her eyebrows, wondering why he had stopped, and as if he read her mind he said, “We, uhh, probably shouldn’t be so… _friendly_ in public.” He smiled at her and let go of her face, then took a step back. 

“Not a fan of PDA, Steve?” 

A lopsided grin appeared on his face, and her heart skipped a beat. 

“A kiss or two, sure. But, uhh, where _this_ was heading… probably not a good idea since I’m a… public figure.” 

“Hm, alright. Fair enough.” She bit her lip to stop herself from smiling from ear to ear at how happy all of _this_ was making her feel. 

He observed the movement and blew out a puff of air, “We should go.”


	6. The Four Horsemen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A 'proper' date with Steve Rogers means dinner, drinks, and dancing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kinda get the feeling that [Y/N] would add another ‘D’ to Steve’s proper date, but _somehow_ he doesn’t seem like that kind of man. Yet.

Weeks passed before they saw each other again. Steve had been away on an off-side mission, which made him unavailable to meet up with her the following weekends after their last date. It also meant that he was even slower with responding to their messages, but he tried to send a(n audio) message whenever he could, always apologizing about the situation. She was considerate and understanding, though. _I mean, the guy is off saving the world. If there ever was a valid excuse for a lack of interaction…_ After they were finally able to set a date, [Y/N] had done nothing else but live towards the day. Ok, so that was a bit of an exaggeration, but Steve had promised her to take her to dinner and go dancing, and she was ready to find out what kind of dancing skills he had in him. _Probably not the kind of dancing I’m used to_ , she thought to herself when she arrived at the agreed upon location. 

“Oh, _The Four Horsemen_ , Steve?”

“Hey [Y/N].” He walked up to her and immediately wrapped his strong arms around her figure, and pulled her into a soft and slow kiss. She sighed against his lips as her arms rested on his broad chest. He deepened the kiss and she melted like butter in his warm embrace. 

“Hi.” **–** She whispered when he broke his maneuver to debilitate her (it was effective). She really was not ready to stop touching him yet **–** “I missed you.”

“I missed you too… Do you know it?” He released her from his hug, and held her hand instead. 

Distracted, she smiled at their entwined fingers, “Know what now?”

“This restaurant.”

“Oh, sure, I’m an avid wine drinker… as you’ve undoubtedly noticed. So I definitely enjoy sipping my evenings away here. Never had dinner here before, though.” 

“Good.”

They walked into the rectangular restaurant and wine bar, and were guided to the table that Steve had reserved all the way in the back, which gave them a nice view of both the kitchen and the bar. The place was packed with suits and yuppies who wanted to relax after a surely _laborious_ week at the office, with _New Wayfarer_ -wearing hipsters looking to sip on some non-chain alcohol, and with the occasional recently-turned parents who look rather ragged and seemed to need a break from their stressful life. Just your average night out in Brooklyn. [Y/N] made herself comfortable on the chair. The oak-wooden furniture and white pendant lamps always stood out to her, and she loved the simple but golden and inviting atmosphere it created. 

Steve read the menu, “We could just order several plates. Whatever you’re in the mood for.”

“Won’t it be too much, though? I’ve a tendency to order more than I can eat…”

He chuckled, “Then fortunately for you, I can eat a lot more than what I usually order.”

“Ok, it’s official, you’re my dream man.” She beamed her approval and Steve grinned. 

“ _This_ was the final push?”

“It always comes down to food, Steve. Always.” She looked dead serious, and he laughed at her, enjoying her lightheartedness, while his vision returned to the menu card. 

“So what do you usually have to drink here?” He asked, changing the subject.

“Hm, Spanish wines. Do you like wine?”

“I’m more of a beer man, but I wouldn’t mind giving some wine a try. What are you in the mood for?”

“Well, since it’s a pretty hot and humid summer evening… I’d like something to cool me down.” **–** Her lashes fluttered up from the menu to his face, and he took a moment to gaze at her before he nodded **–** “How about rosé? The Correcaminos Rosado looks promising.” She gave him a coy smile.

The attentive waiter came by quickly to ask if they wanted to order a drink, before ordering the rest, but they insisted on ordering it all together. He grabbed his pencil and paper and waited for Steve to list the substantial amount of different dishes. Halfway through the waiter interrupted him to ask if they were sure about the number of plates, which Steve brushed off with a firm and friendly confirmation. 

“And a bottle of your… what was the name again?” Steve asked [Y/N].

“Correcaminos Rosado.”

The waiter reached the bottom of the paper in his little notebook. 

“You’re not trying to get me drunk now, are you Steve?” She smirked, looking pleased with herself. 

The waited sniggered slightly, making both Steve and [Y/N] look up at him, “I-I apologize.” He stammered and walked back to the kitchen. 

Steve looked back at her and said in a serious voice, “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

The bottle came first, and the waiter offered it to Steve to taste and approve the wine, but he suggested [Y/N] should do that instead, since he knew very little about wine. The waiter poured the rosé wine in her glass, while Steve observed her, and she began to feel awkward. This moment always made her feel awkward. _People staring at you while you’re tasting the wine, and it’s not like you can actually say the wine sucks when you don’t like it, since they just opened the bottle for you._ She twirled the wine around in her glass, before taking a small sip and letting the drink roll around on her tongue. With a smile and a nod she approved of the wine, and the two did not take long before the bottle was finished. 

“I can’t believe you’ve seen so much of the world.” Steve commented after [Y/N] told him about her international adventures once she had graduated from college.

“Not knowing what you want to do with your life can afford you that freedom every now and then, I suppose. I was in a fortunate position, and even if I was going through an existential crisis I could still make a difference.. somehow in a small way, you know?”

“So you just decided to move across the world and help the less fortunate? Volunteer?”

“Might as well do something good while I was still figuring out the mess that I was.”

“I think that’s admirable. So did you? Figure it out?” Steve smiled proudly and her heart melted a little. If Captain America of all people commended you… _well, that was something else, wasn’t it?_

“Most of the time I’m inclined to say yes.” She took the last sip of her drink.

When both their bellies were filled and the dinner came to an end, a new challenge took place. Another part of dating that she found awkward, just as much -or perhaps even more- as the wine tasting, but one that happened much more often. 

“Let me pay, Steve.” She said with a smile as she reached for the bill, but he quickly snatched it from the table. 

She raised her eyebrows in amazement at his fast reflexes, but he remained neutral, “No, I really can’t. My date, so I pay.”

“I’m here too, you know.”

“I asked you to come here, so I pay.” He changed his weight and removed the wallet from his pants. 

She tapped her fingers on the table, “But I was the one who ordered a shitload of food.”

“And I was the one who ate most of it.”

“Yeah… but…”

He removed his credit card, or as he liked to call it ‘magic money card’, from his wallet and placed it on the bill, “No buts.”

“Let’s at least split. It’s very expensive.”

“That’s not a problem.”

“Steve…”

“[Y/N]…” He mimicked her voice.

“You’re annoying.” She sighed as she accepted her defeat.

He chuckled, “You’re welcome.”

“Thank you.” She mumbled. 

After they left the restaurant, they took an Uber to a different location where he promised they would be able to do some dancing. [Y/N] had tried to get more details out of him, but his lips were shut tight when it came to that specific topic. Still a little bit annoyed with the not knowing, but mostly excited, she sat back and let the situation unfold. When they got out of the car, she saw that they were nowhere near a club or bar where they could dance ( _Heck, it was still early_ ), but in front of a dancing school. 

“I’m confused?” She gave him a funny look. 

He took her hand and they walked inside, “So I tried to find a nice place to go dancing, but as it turns out, the dancing scene has changed a bit…”

“Right…”

“And since I’m not much of a dancer **—** “

“Oh, you aren’t?” She raised her eyebrow, but he ignored her.

“…I figured an evening of learning some ballroom dances would be the next best thing? What do you think?”

“I think that’s an amazing idea, Steve.” She beamed in appreciation. 

“Ok, phew. I was afraid you wouldn’t like it.”

“You’ve got nothing to worry about.” She gave him a quick and modest peck, before they were greeted by their dance instructor. 

Steve was not lying when he said that he was not much of a dancer, but he was very good at taking directions and it seemed like nothing could break his concentration when he was learning the steps, so after a couple of tries he had the dance moves down to a tee. The more they did it, the more confident he became about leading her, and before she knew it he had her spinning around the ballroom floor with huge smiles on both their faces. 

Her favorite moments together were the slower songs, when they would swiftly sweep from left to right, because it allowed them the time to gaze in each other’s eyes, to enjoy the touch of their upper bodies, and to express their thoughts. 

“Who knew dancing could feel so freeing?” Steve said with a smile. 

“Hm, it’s lovely, right?”

Steve nodded and twirled [Y/N] around, “And you’re such a natural.” 

She lifted her right hand gracefully in the air, before she spun back into his arms. “Why thank you! You know what’s also freeing?”

He shook his head. 

“A ride in the car on sunny day with the windows open. If there is a conversation it is light but flowing and meaningful.” She leaned her head against his chest, and they slowly swayed from side to side. They no longer moved to the beat of the rhythm, but listened to the words on their lips that spilled their thoughts. “Then a song comes on the radio and it resonates with you. It perfectly encompasses this inexplicable sensation that makes you feel both sad and happy at the same time… and all you want to do is just listen to that song and be in that moment. It makes you want to enjoy the song, enjoy the moment, enjoy life, because before you know it it’s gone. Everything is fleeting and that painful awareness is so liberating and astounding.” She sighed a little. That went a bit deeper than she had intended to, but he also had that effect on her - he made her feel like she could voice all her musings and he would carefully listen. 

“Or a ride on my motorcycle away in the wilderness surrounded by nothing but towering and ancient trees. Their greatness and the serenity they bring remind me of how precious life is.” Steve added softly.

“Exactly. It’s always the unremarkable things that have such a profound effect on us.”

“Did I tell you how amazing you are?” Steve looked down at her while he perpetually brushed his fingers over the small of her back.

“Only twice.”

He smiled, feeling a bit foolish, “Right. Well, it’s worth repeating. You’re a very bright lady… and so stunning.”

Butterflies fluttered from her stomach to her chest, and with a simper she said, “Third time’s the charm.” She nudged his head down, and he closed his eyes and tightened his grip on her when she caressed his mouth with her soft lips, creating a budding inclination that was becoming a fervent constant everywhere in her body.


	7. Home Sweet Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Since [Y/N] really wants the D, she's going to make quick work of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgive me.

Steve had planned another perfect night for them, so when he brought her home after their dinner and dancing, both her body and mind craved for something more than just a sexually-frustrating goodnight kiss. She had insinuated that he was more than welcome ( _I mean, really…_ ) to join her for a nightcap, but he behaved like a perfect gentleman -to [Y/N]’s annoyance- and gave her an extra long, extra deep, and extra maddening kiss to say goodnight. His voice was hoarse when he left, and she needed release. 

When their next date came around, she was determined to get that release from Steve, or at least cause him some sexual suffering too. For a change, and an obvious strategic move, she decided not to go out, but to lure him in with the promise of a home cooked meal. She had been running around all day, tidying up her place, going grocery shopping, taking a long and relaxing bath, and doing the actual cooking.

On a regular day, [Y/N] would order take-out or go for dinner with friends, because cooking for herself was a tiresome and boring act. It was not that she was unable to cook, but now that she was cooking for him she could not help but feel a bit nervous. Just because he was incredibly humble, it did not mean there was no pressure. Pressure she put on herself, but still. She read the recipes several times, she measured everything, and tasted the dishes over and over again, ensuring that the meals were to her liking. 

By the time he arrived, she had already finished cooking and was trying to relax with a cold drink in one hand and her phone in the other. She buzzed him up, he pecked her on the lips and gave her a bouquet of pink peonies, a good choice according to the florist, which she directly placed in a vase. After she had given him a tour of her place, she offered him a drink in the kitchen. 

“Yes, what are you offering?”

“Well, there’s coffee, water and tea. Euhm, I got some juices. I also got beer.”

“Beer sounds refreshing with this heat.”

“Ok, so I bought Yuenling, Heineken, and Sam Adams. I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I got you several kinds.”

“You’re a sweetheart.” **–** He longingly gazed at her lips before he pressed his on hers **–** “I’ll take a Sam Adams.” 

“Hm.” She murmured before she continued the kiss. She wrapped her hands around his neck and lifted her heels so she could get easier access. Her heart soared and warmth spread from her chest to her arms when he deepened the kiss with his tongue, and she sighed with satisfaction when he glided his arms around her back. [Y/N] considered it a good thing she wore a short and flowing dress, because it was not just the summer heat that was getting to her. As he twirled his tongue around hers, a soft moan escaped her lips and a subtle blush began to grow on her cheeks, but her momentary embarrassment dwindled when he responded to her muffled sounds and breaths by holding on to her tighter and squeezing their bodies together. His chest felt soft and hard at the same time. It made her hands tingle with desire, and his own moved down to her hips, never touching her bottom. He had the tendency to give her a little bit, when she wanted it all. He unknowingly pushed her back, his strength taking hold as his own desire increased, and she took several steps backwards until her legs hit her kitchen table. 

“Oh.” She gasped a little. 

“Did you… Did I hurt you?” His embrace was still tight, but he stopped kissing her. 

“N-no.” With needy hands she tried to bring his attention back to her mouth. 

He swept his lips over hers slowly for a couple of seconds, drinking her in one last time, before he stepped back and cleared his throat, “Good… Good. So, uhh, you were getting me a drink to cool down?”

She smiled at the innuendo, and with a sigh she walked towards the refrigerator to get him a Sam Adams. 

He sat down on the couch with his drink, and waited for [Y/N] to join him. He looked as dapper as ever with dark blue jeans and a white button down shirt on. _Even in this heat_. She tried to repress the ardor that was building inside of her as she sat down next to him. He used his free hand to brush away a lock of her hair from her face, before he lingered in her neck, ever so often grazing her skin, and she closed her eyes as she inhaled deeply. The thing about longing is that it did not recede when she tried to resist it, in fact it did the opposite, it made her grow hungrier, and more insatiable. She turned her face and leaned into his hand, so that his fingers now grazed her lips. And when they did, her eyelids flickered to his face, because she wanted to read his expression. It was neutral, but he gulped and was now actively touching her mouth. Her hand slithered to his wrist, where she held his hand in place gently, when she parted her lips and at a slow pace allowed his thumb inside her mouth. His own lips opened too, and he watched her intently, awaiting her next move. A wetness began to form in-between her legs as his eyes clouded over with lust, and she drew his thumb further into her mouth and contracted her lips, softly sucking him in closer. 

She did not know where he got the godforsaken strength from, but he snapped himself out of the trance her actions had put him in, and he suddenly stood up and moved away from the couch, away from her. 

“Jesus Christ…” **–** He paced back and forth, trying to walk off the appetite that she was building within him **–** “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t say that in front of you.”

“Steve, I swear more than you do.” She gave him an incredulous look and leaned back on the couch.

He stopped pacing and looked at her, “I know, but you’re a lady.. and I-uhh”

“Wasn’t acting very ladylike though…” She gave him a coy smile. 

“I-uhhh…” He felt the beer in his hand and took a sip. 

“Will you come back here?” She patted the empty space next to her.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

She bit her lip in contentment, “I promise I’ll behave.”

He did not answer her, nor did he move, so she sighed and said, “Come on. Pinky promise. We can… talk.”

And so they talked. It was a tense conversation, since both of them were worked up and felt restless, but they tried to subdue the strong sensations that were coursing through their bodies. He ran his fingers through his hair in a distracted fashion, and she squeezed her thighs together while she took another mouthful of her juice. 

“What did you cook for tonight?” He tried to concentrate on something less stimulating. 

“Oh, I made several things. Sloppy joes, baked buffalo chicken wings, a potato salad, and apple crumble pie.” 

“Wow, you went all out. Apple crumble pie is my favorite.”

“Good guess then.” She smiled and tried not to think about how wet she was for him. 

“It is really kind of you to cook for me. I haven’t had a home cooked meal in ages.” He wanted to caress her hand as a sign of affection, but decided against it. 

“Just something you’re bringing out of me.”

“What’s that?”

“Domesticity.” She gave him a mischievous grin.

He shook his head, “You’re something else, you know.” 

“What? That was innocent!”

“I don’t think I believe that any longer.”

“What?”

“That anything you say is innocent.” He gave her another pained expression and she bursted out in laughter. It was wrong, but she took pleasure in his discomfort. 

Eventually both of them were able to change the atmosphere to something less salacious, and the tension subsided slowly, but was always lurking around the corner, ready to make another appearance when [Y/N] made a joke to relieve the tension (ironically doing the opposite) or Steve accidentally used a phrase or word that could have a double entendre. No matter the situation, it meant they had both worked up an appetite, and when they sat down at the table to eat their meal it went in a quick and quiet manner. 

Once they were satiated, the conversation started again. He got up to help clean up the bowls and plates, and placed them on the kitchen counter. Like the gentleman he was, he offered to do her dishes since she spent so many hours preparing dinner for him.

“Thanks, Steve. But I’ve got a dishwasher. I could not live without one.”

“Ah, right. Well, let me clean away the dirty dishes then. It’s the least I could do.”

“Sure, it’s over here.” She pointed towards he dishwasher, and he got to work. 

To her surprise, he made an excuse about why he had to leave early - only an hour after they had had dinner. She stood up with him and wondered what was holding him back. _Why did he not want to take the next step?_ Uncertainty was sipping its way into her mind, and she began to question herself. As he stood by the opened door of her apartment, he thanked her again for the night, and leaned down to kiss her farewell. It was rougher than she expected, which confused her even more, but it was all the stimulation she needed for her body to be on fire again. _He is sending so many mixed signals, ugh_. He broke the kiss, but she pulled him back for more, and she traced the outline of his lips with the tip of her tongue, before she nibbled on his bottom lip. He groaned into the kiss, and gripped her hips tightly, which elicited a gasp from her mouth. 

Breaking the kiss again, he said “[Y/N], I-I should go…”

“Don’t you want me to finish what I started… earlier? Don’t you want to feel what it’s like when it’s not your finger inside my mouth?” Her eyebrows furrowed a little in confusion. 

He swallowed painfully, “I… do.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“I don’t want to take advantage of you like that… for my pleasure.”

“It’ll be my pleasure too, Steve.” Daring hands journeyed down to his jeans, and unbuckled his belt. 

“I don’t know if **—** ”

“Ssh, I want it. You want it. Stop overthinking.” She pushed their lips together, and immediately searched for his tongue. After a moment of uncertainty, he closed the door and grabbed her face to deepen the kiss, meeting her tongue. 

In-between their kisses, she nudged him backwards until his shoulders hit the door, and her lips traveled to his earlobe, then down to his neck, while explorative hands reached his shirt only to unbutton it. He let his head drop against the door when she found a sensitive spot between his neck and shoulder and he held in his breath. His reaction only encouraged her to continue. Once his shirt was unbuttoned and was thrown carelessly on her floor, the tip of her tongue and her wet lips discovered his muscular chest for the first time. He felt hot and smooth underneath her mouth. The lower her head moved, the more restrained his own hands became, and when she pushed his jeans down and freed him from his boxers, his arms pressed tightly against his legs, and his hands were fisted into balls. She bit her lip as she gazed at him in all his hardened glory, and with a playful smile she flickered her eyelids back to his face and saw him looking back intently, quietly. As her left hand glided over his right thigh, her warm mouth moved to his left inner thigh where she planted sloppy wet kisses and marked him with gentle love bites, until she reached his center, and her hand encircled him. 

He sighed when she began to pump him, finally relaxing his fists, and closing his eyes only to open them seconds later with a soft groan when he felt the warmth of her mouth as she coaxed him in. 

“Shit.” **–** He murmured, and she smiled at his use of what he considered foul language, which she rewarded by taking him in completely before moving back to the tip **–** “Ohhh, shit.”


	8. Brooklyn Bowl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve seems like he’s ready to commit… _or is he_? Steve and [Y/N] have the exclusive talk.

“We’re going bowling?” [Y/N] looked at the doors of Brooklyn Bowl, before he opened them for her. 

“Yeah, I thought it would be fun, and something different.”

“Afraid to be alone with me, Steve?” She squeezed his hand and laughed. 

“Maybe.” He gave her a cheeky smile and they walked inside. 

The interior was dark, with black, red and brown walls and floors, but the colorful illumination that hung all over the walls made the place look attractive and welcoming. Steve had a wistful smile on his face as he showed her around, and she knew they were in for a great time. After they got all the practicalities out of the way (ordering something to eat and drink, finding the right bowling shoes, and so on), they walked through the a stage area where at certain nights there were music shows, and found their bowling lane. 

“I can’t believe I haven’t been here before.” [Y/N] said as she looked around.

“Ah, so I finally showed you something new, huh?”

“You sure did!”

He beamed with satisfaction, “Great! I hope you like it. It’s a great way to relax. Local beers, comfort food, and the company of good friends. That’s my perfect night.”

“Yeah, you come here often?”

“Well, every once in a while. If our schedules allow it.”

“Hmm. Always the busy man.” 

“Come here.” He reached for her arm and tugged it towards him, and she swayed on her feet until she was encircled by his loving arms. 

“I make time for my lady.” His voice was low and his eyes were fixed on hers as he tightened his hold on her and pressed their bodies together. 

“ _Your_ lady, huh?”

“If you’ll have me.”

“Hm, I don’t get down on my knees for just anybody, you know.” 

The image of how their last date came to an end flashed through his mind, and she felt him wake up against her hip, which incited hot flashes to her chest. A blush spread across his face, and his eyelashes fluttered to her lips. She loved the impact she had on him. She raised her heels, rubbing her body against his, and she could see the strain in his jaw tighten. 

“That means I’ll have you.” She whispered with a wicked smile, before she pressed their lips together in a slow, but decent kiss that came to an end abruptly when she pushed herself out of his arms and walked towards the machine to start a _friendly_ round of bowling. 

He rolled back his shoulders to straighten himself and followed her. 

So she had never gone to Brooklyn Bowl before, and bowling was not something she regularly -if ever- did, but Steve explained the rules, and then showed her how to actually hold and roll the bowling balls. It was something she took a lot of pleasure in: watching his long and strong muscles stretch and tighten against the fabric of his clothing as he took several steps forward, his face in complete concentration, and threw the bowling ball on the lane. So, naturally, she requested if he could repeat the movement several times, since she did not _completely_ understand it. 

Once he found out she was just messing around, he stood straight and shook his head as the ghost of a smile appeared on his face. Playing along with her little game, he made her stand in front of him and carry out the movement herself, while he stood closely behind her. With featherlight fingers he guided her arms in the right position. She bit her lip when she felt the effects of his proximity on her own body, and tried to concentrate on what he was telling her for a change. [Y/N] quickly got the hang of it, and before they knew it the first round was over.

“Steve, you sure know your way to a woman’s heart. These BBQ chicken wings are absolutely delicious.” She licked her fingers one by one, and turned her body to his on the plushy sofa right by their lane. 

“Yeah, I think I’ve found out what makes you happy.” He laughed proudly as he kept his gaze strictly on her eyes.

“Looks like you did.”

“Anything else that makes you happy? Or will you let me puzzle that out too?” 

“Just the usual. I’m not a complicated girl. My friends and family make me happy. Good food and drinks make me happy. Music that is exactly in tune with my mood makes me happy… or extremely sad, it’s never a given, but at least it touches me. Me being in the shades when it’s this damn hot, drinking a slush puppy - that sorta stuff makes me happy. And, euhm, spending time with you is also making me pretty happy.”

“Me too.” He nodded.

She could not help a smile from appearing on her face when he replied to the most important part of her answer, but quickly changed the subject, “So you said you usually come here with friends, right?” 

“Some of my friends from work. Actually, all my friends are people I know from work.” 

“You’re very devoted.”

“Plus, it’s very hard to meet people, or make new friends, when you’re a public figure. You never know what they want from you.”

“Guess you got lucky with me.”

“Oh yeah? What is it you want from me then?” He asked with a big grin before taking a sip of his drink.

“Those quarters you owe me.” 

He chuckled at her response, and her face lit up. 

“Will I ever get to meet some of these friends slash colleagues of yours?” She asked.

“Would you like to?”

“Sure, I want to meet whomever is important in your life.” 

“Alright. They’ve been pretty curious about you.” He inclined his head.

“Oh, been talking about me, huh?” 

“Well… Like I said, I’ve never been great at this whole dating thing, and women today are so different…”

“I think you’ve been able to give me just what I need right from the start, Steve.”

“Hah, ok. Good.” He rested his arm on the head of the sofa, and leaned his head on that hand. “What about your friends? What do you usually do with them?”

“Well, most of my closest friends I made during my college years, so we’ve got a couple of traditions that we like to partake in when we’re all together. Other than that, just hanging out. Meeting up for dinner and drinks and catching up on our busy lifestyles. Living in this city, well it can make things quite chaotic and someone very unavailable, so we value the moments we have together. It’s all about connecting.” 

“That’s very true. People seem to be more disconnected from what I can tell… we are always available because of electronic devices like a phone, but forming a bond seems to have become harder somehow.” 

“Harder than in _your_ day?” She raised her eyebrow.

He chuckled and nodded. 

“Well, you’re not wrong. But euhm… what about me?”

“You?”

“Have I been able to do the same? Make you happy?” She was a bit afraid of his answer, but her curiosity to know was always stronger than her fear of something.

“Oh! Well, you are _my_ lady now, so definitely. You’re a sweet girl, [Y/N], and you seem very self-aware. That’s important to me. Also, you’re very funny. You keep me on my toes. I like it.”

“Hm, alright.” A nervous and exciting tingle awoke in the pit of her stomach, and she felt herself redden slightly at his flattering words.

“Are you blushing?” He looked amused now.

“No!” She was unhappy about how the tables were turning suddenly.

“You are!”

“Whatever.” 

He chuckled and scooted closer to her, then pecked her on the lips, “You’re _also_ adorable.”

“Whatever, Steve.” **–** She got up from the sofa, cleaned her fingers on a wet tissue, and moved back to the machine **–** “Ready for me to kick your ass?”

With another laugh he got up and nodded at her, “I’d like to see you try.”

The most fun she had that day was taking in Steve’s body as he showed off a little, giving her something to laugh about, and listening to Steve enthusiastically talk about other sports he liked to partake in occasionally. Despite his usually calm and collected demeanor, Steve was an athletic man (his body gave it away… obviously). Much more athletic than she was, but that is why balance is good… _right_? He seemed to want to slow down when he was around her, so she was not worried about that yet. And, surprisingly, bowling was right up her alley. The date was going really well, and she was close to not just kicking his ass but going for a full on nuclear strike, when he got a call on his work phone. A disastrous attack was launched on a government base in Puntas Arenas, and the Avengers were called in for an intervention. He offered to drop her off home first, since he also picked her up, but she insisted that this poor damsel now-suddenly-in-distress-without-a-man-by-her-side would manage to get home just fine. He frowned and pointed out that was not how he meant it, and she gave him a long and deep kiss, before she tapped him on his ass and sent him on his way.Slightly -ok, thoroughly- disappointed she called up her best friend to see if they would be up for some hanging. It was a lovely day out, after all. _It would be a shame to waste it_.


	9. His Humble Abode I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, [Y/N] got an invite to Steve’s place. She’s also meeting his closest friends. Those rare few.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m feeling generous today. The next chapter is going to be up later tonight and you don’t want to miss that one!

Setting up their next date had taken ages. Steve claimed that it was because of the busy agendas of him and his fellow-Avengers friends, Sam and Natasha. Besides their challenging work as the new Avengers team, Sam was also engaged in a lot of voluntary work and had his own partner to tend to, and Natasha was always away on covert operations if she was not training the Avengers in New York City. [Y/N] chose to believe that those were the only reasons that had dragged out the time between their bowling date and the one she was now readying herself for. _Just because his friends were busy… it didn’t mean he couldn’t have come around_. She sighed. There was this feeling, somewhere deep down inside of her, this nagging feeling, that made her question whether it was not something else that was going on. 

Steve and [Y/N] only went out about once every two weeks, if he even managed that. He never asked to see her more than that, whereas [Y/N] wanted to be with him each minute of the day. _Alright, I am aware that that is not actually realistic - but you get the gist_. To her it seemed like he did not return that feeling. _Otherwise he would have insisted on seeing me more often, right?_ She grabbed her purse and looked up the directions to Steve’s place on the Google maps app on her phone. With another sigh, she left her place. 

[Y/N] tried not to ask for more than what he was able to give, because she knew he had long workdays, a hectic and irregular schedule, and demanding obligations. She understood all that, and she really did not want to be considered another obligation, so she tried to bury those feelings, to push those probably silly doubts away. _In the end, he chose to be with me. That was all that mattered_. She looked around for a doorbell once she arrived at his place. It was a typical Brooklyn neighborhood: part urban and part hipster. _Yes, people, gentrification is real_. He buzzed her in and she tried to repress the nervous butterflies that were awakening in the pit of her stomach.

“You didn’t have to come early, you know.” He opened the door and flashed her a big smile.

Those nervous butterflies increased in twofold and she returned the same expression, “I know. I just missed you, and wanted to help… set up”

“I sure do appreciate your help.” **–** He pecked her softly on the lips and let her in **–** “Welcome to my humble abode.”

“Hm, it also gives me the chance to acquaint myself with your place and feel… less nervous.” **–** She ranted as she stepped out of the hallway and into his living room **–** “Oh, wow, this looks great, Steve!”

His apartment -or what she could see of it- was not very big, but the division of his furniture and the clean white walls made it seem a lot more spacious. The man was much more modern than he let on, with a flatscreen television and a fancy cd player mounted on the wall, _and_ a record player tucked away in the corner. There were a lot of books, magazines and newspapers stacked on top of each other on his coffee table, but somehow it looked very ordered. Steve was clearly making an effort to stay informed of current events. His living room made it seem like he was doing a better job at it than [Y/N]. She found it peculiar that his shield was placed in plain sight against a wall, like he just walked into the apartment and dropped it there. She supposed it made sense, since he was much more used to the object than she was. He caught her glancing at the shield and smiled. 

“You’re nervous? Why?” He guided her into the kitchen. 

“Euhm, I’m meeting your closest friends. Time to be judged. I want them to like me.”

“Oh, they already do. You’ve got nothing to worry about.” He pulled her in for another kiss, this time long and deep, tasting her lovingly. 

“Uhah, of course _you_ would say that.” She smiled after she broke the kiss, and he stared at her lips quietly. 

When he didn’t answer her, the curve of her lips turned into a smirk. “Steve? Hello?” He turned his sight back to her eyes. 

“Sorry, I get so easily distracted when you’re around.” **–** He gave a small cough to try and focus, but she rolled her thighs against his pelvis, which elicited a soft gasp from him instead. He stepped away from her and mentally calmed himself **–** “I meant to offer you a drink. What would you like?” He moved to his refrigerator.

“A coke will do. Thanks, Steve.” She tried to repress her smile and placed her bag on the counter while he got her a drink.

After she was hydrated enough, they walked towards his generous balcony, something that was rather uncommon for apartments in Brooklyn. There was a charcoal grill that was placed against the rail, ready to be used. They sat down on wooden folding chairs, which were situated besides a matching table against a white brick wall, and tried to enjoy the heat that New York City relentlessly offered while they were hidden away in the shadows, underneath a hanging parasol. 

“You must spend a lot of time here, on the balcony. It gives you a wonderful view of the neighborhood.” [Y/N] admired the view. 

“I do, actually. I like to just sit here and draw in my little notebook.”

“Oh, you should really show me sometimes.. if you’re comfortable with that, I mean.” 

“Yeah, I’d like that.” He offered a small smile. 

“Is it just a way for you to turn your mind off, or are you also really creating things?”

“It’s both. It’s a way to relax, but I also get to pour my thoughts and ideas into something… to pour my creativity on a paper and bring something come to life. It’s quite special.”

“I’d say so! Brought anything particular to life lately?”

“Lately I’ve been feeling more inspired…”

“What’s inspired you?”

“The weather’s been really helping… though the heat is draining, just a soft breeze and the sun can make such a difference. Comforting friends… they help with being appreciative of the finer things in life. And then… then there’s you. You’ve been helping with that too.”

“Aw, Steve.” Her eyes lowered to her fingers and she fidgeted with them, unsure of how to respond to words that were like music to her ears. “You really got a beautiful home, Steve.” 

“Thanks, sweetheart.” He grinned and relaxed in his seat. 

“The balcony must also be wonderful at night. In this heat.”

“Hm, it is. I try to have a quiet moment here every night before I go to bed. Let go of all the stress that life brings with it, and just be… silent. Taking in the noises of the City, and all.”

“That’s so poetic of you.”

“Now, I don’t know about that.” He gave her a small smile and looked at the City. 

She followed his gaze and basked in the fleeting hushed tones that wafted through the hazy air. [Y/N]’s favorite part of living in this tumultuous City, was the enchanting pull it had if you only paid attention and took a moment to _see_ or _listen_. It had become unequivocally clear to her over the years that in moments like these, when the golden glow of the sun radiated off of the skyscrapers and casted its comforting warmth on her prickling skin, she felt at home.

Steve had been right: meeting his friends was not as nerve-wracking as [Y/N] had imagined. Both Sam and Natasha were very sympathetic and sociable. They asked her a lot of questions about [Y/N] and Steve, about how they had met, what it was exactly that she liked about him ( _like that was hard to imagine_ ), and more general questions about her background and her life in New York City. _Sure, so it felt a bit like an interrogation, but it came from a good place_. It was obvious that they both cared a lot about Steve, and she could not blame them for that. Steve ended thecross-examination by bringing the meats from the kitchen to the balcony and checked if the grill was at the right temperature for barbecuing. 

“Oh, [Y/N]. Can you get the salads from the fridge? Oh, and the breads and dips. You remember where they are, right?” Steve asked as he carefully placed loin back ribs on the sizzling grill.

“You got it. Anyone want another drink?” [Y/N] moved towards the door.

“Nah, I’m good.” Sam replied.

“I could use another cocktail. I’ll come with.” Natasha said, and the girls exchanged smiles. 

They quietly walked through his living room to the kitchen where Natasha made herself another cocktail and [Y/N] rummaged through Steve’s fridge and pantry. [Y/N] could feel her nerves rising a little. She did not know what to make of Natasha. She seemed friendly, but there was this distance about her, and now that they were alone she could feel Natasha’s eyes on her even more.

“You seem to know your way around here.” Natasha stated.

[Y/N] uttered a nervous chuckle, “Not really. I just helped Steve with the food, so I just know where he put certain things.” _Why was I even explaining this?_

“I see.” Her tone was contemplative. 

“So, euhm, have you and Steve been friends for long?” [Y/N] tried to keep the conversation going.

“You could say that.” **–** Her fingers were tapping on her upper arms, and [Y/N] raised her eyebrows when she saw the ambiguous expression on Natasha’s face **–** “What about your intentions with Steve?”

“My, euhm, my intentions?” [Y/N] put two loaves of bread in the preheated oven. 

Natasha remained silent as she awaited [Y/N]’s response.

“They’re…. honorable?”

“Is that so?” Natasha raised her eyebrow.

“Sure, I’ve plenty of dishonorable intentions too, but none that would be harmful to Steve… if that’s what you’re getting at.”

Natasha smirked at this and nodded, “Alright, good. All I need to know.”

“Ok…”

“Want me to make you a cocktail too?” The tone of her voice was milder now.

“Think I could use one at this point.” [Y/N] frowned a little, which made Natasha laugh. 

“We’re good, don’t worry. Unless you hurt **—** ”

“I won’t.” [Y/N] cut Natasha off. 

“Then we’re good.” 

Steve did not consider himself much of a good cook. Heck, he never did much of it back in his day, unless boiling whatever was available counts. But if there was one thing that he did try to better himself at it was grilling. It was one of the main reasons why he chose an apartment with a decent balcony, because it allowed him the opportunity to barbecue come summer or winter. With some seasoning tips from Sam, a lot of help from [Y/N], and a ton of different recipes, he was able to serve his friends and sweetheart to honey-glazed chicken wings, spicy ribs in BBQ sauce, sweet corn on the cob, teriyaki beef kabobs, some light and refreshing salads, and oven toasted garlic bread.

“Man, I’m so stuffed. You used my seasoning, right? _I can taste it_.” Sam gave Steve a big smile, to which Steve laughed.

“I did. I did. You were absolutely right. It brought the ribs to a whole other level.” 

“My man.” Sam nodded at Steve proudly, and Natasha had an amused smile on her face while she rolled her eyes. 

“It was really delicious.” [Y/N] chimed in.

“Why thank you, sugar.” Sam gave her a smirk, and Steve raised his eyebrow. 

“I’m the one who did the _actual_ grilling, you know.” He protested. 

“With my help, though.” [Y/N] smiled.

“Which was completely necessary. Thank you.” Steve quickly added.

“But with my instructions. It would not have been possible _without me_. So _you_ are welcome. All of you.” Sam wiggled his eyebrows while he put his arms behind his head, and not so subtly demonstrated the muscles in his upper arms. 

“I’m glad I’m not part of this conversation.” Natasha stated impassively as she stood up to make another cocktail in Steve’s kitchen.

Natasha softly hummed a song, which she had heard earlier on the radio when she was on her way to Steve’s apartment, and collected all the ingredients. With a finishing touch, she squeezed the last drops of the lime juice into her fruity drink and added some garnish. As she washed her hands, she heard Steve walking towards the refrigerator to get himself a drink too. 

“So you’re pretty serious about [Y/N], huh?” Natasha reached for her cocktail and took a sip. It was perfectly in balance, and she could taste how the acidic flavors mingled with the sweet liquor. She patiently looked at Steve, awaiting his answer. She knew she was prying, but she also knew that he was hesitant about personal relationships, which to her justified her inquisitiveness.

Steve shook his head after he grabbed his drink, simpering at the unwavering campaigner for his love life, and said, “I guess so.” 

“Good!” **–** She gave him a slight shove with her elbow **–** “It’s good that you’re trying again. I like her. She’s sassy.”

“Hm.” Was all he said before he took a sip of his drink too, and changed the subject as Natasha expected from him, but that did not stop her. 

“You make sure she knows you’re in it for the long haul.”

“Natasha…” He enunciated each syllable of her name slowly to show her that he did not want to continue this specific conversation. 

“Fine, I’ll drop it. _For now_.” She began to walk back to the balcony.

He followed her with a simple, “Thanks.”


	10. His Humble Abode II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ehhhh, Steve returns an oral favor. He’s nice like that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Warning** : expect explicit smut. Like.... _really explicit_. I’m scandalized by how explicit it is at times. And I would love to hear if you enjoyed it. I worked reallll hard on it, lol ok. Happy reading!

The coolness that the evening brought with it had ensured that Steve, Sam, Natasha and [Y/N] remained out on Steve’s balcony all night long. Even when the ballgame was on, the one Steve had invited everyone to, he had merely switched on the flatscreen in his living room with the volume turned up, so they could look at the screen through the glass sliding door or listen to the commentary. It had been a slow and relaxing evening, and after all the eating and drinking you would imagine that [Y/N] was stuffed, but even now she was hungry for something more, thirsty for something else. 

After Steve wished his friends a good night’s rest, he and [Y/N] quietly tidied up the balcony and his kitchen. She put the leftovers that Sam and Natasha did not take home in the refrigerator, and put the dirty dishes in his dishwasher while he cleaned the tables and kitchen counter, and threw small items in a big trash bag, which he closed off and put away. _We work well together_. She could not help but smile at the comforting thought. 

Once their teamwork came to an end, they moved back to the living room. Back to the sliding door that was still open, and allowed the comforting noises from the City’s nightlife inside the apartment. As they stood there, languidly talking and enjoying each other’s presence, a gentle breeze flew inside and caressed [Y/N]’s upper arms. She had not been wearing a lot of layers, simply a skirt and a shirt, since the summer days in the City were excruciatingly hot. At night the weather was usually very agreeable, but when that gust of the wind creeped down her back to her legs, she shook her shoulders in response. He noticed the shudder and pulled her into his arms and between his legs while he sat down on the padded arm of his sofa that was placed close to the glass sliding doors.

“Better now?” He asked as he stared intently into her eyes and warmed her up with a rubdown. 

She could feel those damn butterflies returning, and she bit the inner-side of her cheek to keep them at bay, but she gave him a nod, nonetheless.

“You’re cute when you get all flustered.”

“What are you talking about?” She asked while she freed her arms from his hold, and moved them up to his delectable chest.

“Just certain moments when I can make you blush. Like that last time at the bowling alley.”

“Whatever, Steve.” She tried to move out of his embrace, but he held on to her and grinned.

“Like right now.”

She gave him a deliberate expressionless look, before she grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him to her lips. 

It was an earnest kiss to distract him. A long and lingering kiss to entice him. A feverish kiss to give her what she had been craving all evening. 

“You were saying?” She was gasping for air a bit after she broke the kiss. 

“Nothing at all.”He chuckled, but leaned in for another round of those kisses. She began to warm in his arms, with his hot mouth taking the lead, completely forgetting about the breeze.“It’s uhhh… it’s getting late. I should probably take you home soon.”

“I can get myself home, Steve… or I could not go home at all.” She leaned forward and placed a soft peck on his bottom lip, then slowly nibbled on it.

“Hm, you’re such a temptress.”

“Do you have a problem with that?”

“I really don’t.” 

“Good.” And with that she gave him a little shove, something he must have not been expecting, because it made him stumble backwards onto the cushion of the sofa. 

He gave her a questioning look, which was quickly replaced by desire when she climbed on top of him and they found a comfortable position together: her legs straddling his lower body, his arms wrapped up around her hips, her hands holding on to his face, and their tongues never disconnecting. He tasted sweet, from all the BBQ sauce that he had drizzled his ribs in, and the substantial amount he had eaten of them. As their kisses gradually deepened, her legs and chest pushed harder against his body, until there was no more possible space between them, and she began to rock against him, creating a wanton friction between her soft figure and his increasingly hardened state.

Needing more, she rubbed her groin roughly against his pelvis and he released breathless moans into her mouth, desperately allowing more of her inside of him, until she had the back of his head flat against the sofa. Her hands moved to the head of the sofa to support herself as she adamantly rubbed against him again, and again, and again. Each time with more precision, each time making their noises breathier and more audible. The pressure and the roughness of his jeans, and what lied underneath, reached all her right places. It quickly began to moisten the soft fabric of her undies. His fingers dug deep in her hips and with some force he pushed her down even harder.

“Fuck.” He hissed after a particularly good roll of her body. He finally broke their kiss and moved to her neck, worshipping her warm skin with his lips, teeth and tongue, ensuring every part of her earlobe, neck and shoulder was stroked, and sucked or nibbled on. These were her favorite kinds of kisses, because they sent shivers down her spine, the good kind, and made her body feel weak, the right way. One of her hands tangled itself in his hair, while she turned her face to the side in appreciation, offering him easier access. His fingers began to travel upwards, from digging into her hips to caressing the hem of her shirt, eagerly moving underneath it. 

Another particularly hard grind against his pelvis had him still her body, “ _Hmm_ , fuck. Wait.”

“My, you’ve got quite the filthy mouth, Steve.” She licked his earlobe and he sighed into her neck. She was quickly driving him crazy and he was not sure how long he would be able to stand the torment. 

“Sit still.” **–** He commanded with a heavily-affected voice, and a curious smile appeared on her face, but she obeyed him **–** “Good.”

Her fervent eyes quickly flickered between his blue orbs and his reddened lips, while he gradually lifted her shirt, little by little allowing himself to discover her naked skin underneath with his touch. When he saw the outline of the bottom of her blue lace bralette, he stopped for a moment and glided his thumb over the soft fabric and her erect nipple. 

“Hard.” He remarked, and he inadvertently wetted his upper lip.

“And so _wet_ for you.” 

His mouth opened a bit upon hearing her torturous words, and she wanted to bite his plump lip again but smirked instead, still carrying out his order. Sitting still. Like the good soldier she was…

“Such a temptress.” He mumbled, and with a new sense of urgency he removed her shirt, and attacked her mouth with needy kisses, before he returned his attention back to her breasts, which were still covered up.

“I like the color.” He said as he admired the bralette, then gently squeezed her breasts with both his hands, and she unintentionally rocked against his body. He bit his lip and suppressed a moan. 

“Hm, your favorite color then, Cap?”

He looked amused when he heard her say his rank, rather than his name, but answered seriously as he pulled down the straps, “Hm, thought I told you I don’t have one.”

She rocked against him again, this time intentionally, and he stilled her again. 

“Thought I also told you to wait.” Steve removed her bralette and adored her breasts with his hands and mouth until he had her making noises, and she disobeyed and began to move on top of him again. Her body needed release, and that thick bulge in his jeans could give it to her.

Very suddenly he stood up, lifting her up with him, and letting her go, until they both stood grounded on the floor. He took a step away from her and noticed the dampened spot she had produced on his jeans, and a euphoric high took hold of him. With a gulp and a sense of determination he removed his shirt, then without another word, he removed her skirt and underwear. Sighing, he took a moment to appreciate her body, and [Y/N] could feel her nerves growing as he silently gazed at her. Her hair was a mess, her face and chest had an alluring heated blush to them, and he also enjoyed the contrast between the swollen and erect parts of her body and the soft and curvy ones.

“You… you’re beautiful.” He wanted to explore every nook and cranny of her.

“Bet you say that to all the girls.” She didn’t know why she said that.

“I don’t.” **–** His voice was stern and he looked her in the eyes now **–** “And I don’t sleep around.”

“Ok…” She fidgeted with her fingers. He had her feeling like a blushing schoolgirl again.

“Time for me to return that favor.” He referred to their date at her place, when she went down on her knees. He nudged her back on the sofa. _I like where this is going,_ she thought as another flash of desire surged through her highly-awakened body. 

He hovered above her on the sofa, before he began kissing her in her neck again, taking his time, leaving behind a trail of sloppy kisses all the way down to her knees, stopping at her breasts, her sides, her thighs, and avoiding the one place where she craved his wet touch the most. Hehad nestled himself in-between her legs, down on his knees now, and leaned forward so he got a good view of her as she raised her knees and placed her feet on his shoulders. Her sweet scent had him aching for more. His long fingers gently traced an exhilarating path from the source of her wetness across her folds and up to her most sensitive spot, slowly spreading her intoxicating substances upwards to encircle, confine, and coax the maddening pressure that was making her feel flustered and restless.

“Hm, Steve.” **–** With her eyes closed, she licked her lip in approval and cooed **–** “Just like that.” 

Those words of encouragement and her little sighs were all he needed to hear to make his rock-hard cock start to throb painfully once more against his jeans. With his unoccupied hand he freed himself from his jeans and palmed himself languidly. He tightened around his fingers and tried to find some release from his own unease. Her moans became louder, and his abdomen tensed as his arousal started building with each rough pump. Steve gazed quietly at [Y/N], his circular motion on her unfaltering, and the sight was driving him mad: her fingers were digging into the padded arms of the sofa, she kept holding in her breath, which made her attractive figure tense up before she would writhe against his touch and his sofa, causing her glistening juices to drip down to her bottom and on to the cushion. 

It produced a lascivious craving inside of him, and he wanted more. With a soft groan, he stopped touching himself and licked his lips. He was dying for a taste. He tugged her hips closer towards his face and moved down to her inner thigh, gently scraping his jaw against it before placing soft small kisses. She gasped when she felt him move closer to her center, and her eyes fluttered open in anticipation, in dire need. He stopped his movements when he reached her groin, and he looked back at her again, slowly bringing out his tongue to wet his lips again.

“Steve…” **–** She whined and her hand slithered to his hair, which she held on to and nudged closer to her center **–** “Please.”

The ghost of a smile appeared on his face before he tasted her. With a long open-mouth kiss, he caressed her nub, and when she bucked her hips upward he added the flat smooth heat of his tongue. She let out a deep breath. He felt sensational against her skin, and she needed more. Long and broad strokes quickly had her quivering in his arms, so he caressed her upper legs to keep her in a fixed position. Ever so often, his hand traveled up for a squeeze. 

“ _Ohhh_ , yes, Steve.” She barely gasped out, making his cock twitch.

As breathing became more difficult, and all she could really do was concentrate on the sensations that he was giving her, her body started to heat up even more and small puddles of sweat formed on her forehead. She tasted wonderfully sweet and he tried to take in as much of her as possible, probably adding more force than he knew he should at this point, but she was not complaining, so he would not yield on his mission to eat up as much of her as he could.

Once he applied feather-light flicks with the tip of his tongue over her immensely swollen and needy nub, and alternated with unexpected and deep suctions, holding her tightly against his plump lips, she was close to losing her wits. The buzzing reverberation of the City that came from the balcony soon subsided. Instead, her increasingly strained whimpers and the smothered wet smacks of his tongue and lips against her lips quickly became the only hearable noises in his living room. 

His hand experienced a sudden jerking motion, and a new urge took over. He wanted to feel her contract around him when he would finally get her to come for him. Slowly, two needy fingers circled her entrance, rubbing against her and wetting his fingers, until her body sucked him in willingly, desperately. She felt so good around him, and he imagined how much more amazing she would feel when she was tightly wrapped around his cock. With quick jerky plunges he had her crying out within seconds, she was no longer coherent and her body began to move away from him as the sensation became overbearing. He pinned her down to the sofa with his arm wrapped over her hips and belly, and increased the speed of his unrelenting fingers. 

Inadvertently, her legs clamped tightly against his head and her hip bucked forward when her unbearable ache began to disintegrate around her nub, and he buried his face even deeper against her skin, intensifying his suction, and making her come undone harder. With every rapid breath of air that she pushed out of her body, ripples of immeasurable pleasure coursed through her, and she was finally freed from her beautiful agony.

He had her gasping for air again, “Jesus. Steve. That tongue of yours. Where did you learn those things?”

He grinned with satisfaction, “I’ve just got… well-developed muscles.”

“Everywhere, so it seems.”

He laughed now, and moved back up to her face to plant kisses where she would let him. 

“Hold on. Let me get a condom.” She tried to move out of his sofa when he hesitantly said, “No, it’s ok.”

“What?” She leaned back in the seat, slightly confused.

Realization had hit Steve like a metal chair to the face. Watching her fall to pieces mere seconds ago was one of the most fulfilling things he had witnessed in his thrilling action-packed life, and that awareness brought terror to his heart. He was falling for her, falling way faster than he had ever intended to, and he was not prepared for it. 

“I’m just… returning the favor.” He pulled her back towards him and pecked her on the lips, before he confined his cock inside his way-too-tight jeans with a deep exhale.

“I’ll have to make sure you owe me more often then.” **–** She frowned her eyebrows while she glanced at his naked abdomen and the contour of his hardened state, which was still pressing urgently against the fabric **–** “But, euhm, Steve I do want to, you know.”

“Me too, but not tonight.” He held her hand and squeezed it softly with a reassuring smile.

But she was not reassured. This was not turning out as she had planned.

After a moment of silence, he moved away and said, “I just want to take it slow, ok? Come on, sweetheart, let me take you home.”

“Yeah, ok. Sure.” She got up and reached for her clothing that was sprawled out on the floor around the sofa, while he put his shirt back on, washed his face and hands, and grabbed his keys. 

He drove her back home on his motorcycle and she did not know what to make of the situation. It was not at all going the way she wanted it to, the way she thought it would. Normally guys who were interested in her for more than just a fuck, wanted to spend more time with her, but here he was, insisting on taking her home, rather than sharing the night. She was confused. The situation did not make sense. _He_ was not making sense. _What did he want exactly? And why did he not want… it all?_ When he kissed her goodnight she was resigned, so he made it an extra long one to communicate that everything was fine, but usually words spoke louder than… well, kisses. 

“Sleep tight, sweetheart.” 

“Night, Steve.”


	11. Sweet Chick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve is being vague and slightly shady. What could it mean?

After he had dropped her off and wished her a good night, [Y/N] made herself comfortable in her bed, but could not stop wondering about what his actions meant. The following day, she discussed it with one of her closest friends, who told her that Steve was probably just a _really_ old-fashioned guy who, as Steve himself had said, just wanted to take things slow. Yet there was something about the situation, [Y/N] did not know what exactly, that made her feel uneasy. _Or maybe I should just stop being insecure?_ She really did not like feeling this way.

When it took him a whole damn month before he was able to meet up with [Y/N] again, her growing worries were not appeased. _One freaking month_. He had insisted that he could not get into regular contact with her, because he was out on a longterm covert operation in the heart of the jungle of Muang Loa, in a location so remote that it would attract too much attention to repeatedly make outgoing international calls. Of course he was unable to go into the details of his mission, because those were government affairs and she, as a common citizen, did not have any clearance. He also said he never would want to endanger her life by burdening her with confessions or complaints about his work life. Perhaps that was another thing that [Y/N] feared would create a wedge between them. Steve had a whole life, separate from hers, that he could not tell her about, that she could not be a part of, and sometimes it made him seem distant.

“Sweetheart, this is such a good place.” 

“Hm, knew you’d like it.”

“I’m just a bit surprised you’re having shrimps at a chicken place.”

“Good, that should keep you guessing.”

A big grin appeared on his face, and he took another bite of his meal. It had been [Y/N]’s turn to plan the date, and she had taken him to _Sweet Chick_ , one of the coziest and relaxed food places in Brooklyn, and yes it was quite hipster. 

She looked away again and sighed softly as she slowly sipped on her sweetened ice tea. His job was such an important aspect of his life, one that he devoted most of his time to, how he knew most of the people who mattered in his life, what he was passionate about, so how did [Y/N] fit into all of it? Her mind had been distracted ever since their last date, and she should never be left alone with it for too long, because the longer she was alone with a worry or a fear, the bigger and more irrational it would become. Her friends tried their best to keep that brain from working, but this time around, she was not entirely sure whether her worries were entirely unfounded. 

“[Y/N]? Are you listening?”

“Sorry?” She heard Steve talking to her and snapped her head back to him. 

“Were you listening?” He smiled at her, but had a curious look on his face. 

“Oh, sorry. I really was not. What were you saying?”

“Are you ok?” 

“Sure, I’m fine. Now go on…”

“Hm, alright. I was talking about my neighbor, the old lady from next door, remember her?”

“Right, what kinds of shenanigans has she been up to this time?” 

That big goofy grin returned to his face, and he told [Y/N] all about his neighbor. She tried to listen carefully, and she pushed those unwanted feelings down, hoping that would make them go away. He was sweet after all, so it was not that hard to do. She listened to the story of his neighbor’s adventures, then to how he was happy he mostly experienced being incognito in this big city, then to how his voice softened when he told her how much he had missed her, especially after their last time together. _Her back arching on his sofa. His wet touch, unrelenting. Her legs on his shoulders. His fingers digging deep inside of her._ The visuals settled in her mind, and she was immediately distracted. Hoping to purge herself from those thoughts, she clenched her legs together tightly.

“Anyways, you said you liked jazz music, right? I did manage to listen properly when you were talking then, right?” She changed the topic and he laughed with a nod. 

“Well, the Jazz festival is coming to its end. Do you know it? I was wondering if—“

“ _End_? Already? I can’t believe this much time has passed by.” He removed his cellphone from his jeans, and looked at it in a distracted fashion. His expression went from doubt to momentary dejection. 

“Everything ok, Steve?”

“Yeah… it’s fine. Just… didn’t really realize what week it is.”

“That a bad thing?”

“Nothing you have to worry about.”

There he did it again. He shut her out. Every time she thought she was getting closer to him, closer to peeling away the many layers this man seemed to have, he would put up another wall and keep his distance. Cover it up with a kind smile or a loving touch, but she was starting to see through to that. 

“Hm, if you say so.” She eyed him up and down suspiciously, but he reached out for her hand and smiled reassuringly. 

“What about the jazz festival?” 

“Right. Next weekend are the final performances. Wanna go?” She squeezed his hand. 

“Next weekend? I don’t think I can make it.”

[Y/N] tried not to pout. “Oh, work plans?”

“There’s a thing I need to do.”

“A thing?” She raised her eyebrow at his vague wording.

“Yeah, so how about the weekend after? I’ll come up with something… to make up for it?”

“Sure, my parents were pestering me to come visit them this weekend, anyways. Guess I’ll do that instead.”

He nodded in agreement and let go of her hand, “That’s because you don’t spend enough time with them. You should. You never know what might happen.” 

“Alright. Sir, yes sir.” She said sardonically and Steve shook his head before he asked for the bill. 

After a short but lively debate over who would foot the bill -with the waiter being dragged into it before Steve sighed and gave up, not wanting to cause a scene- the two headed back to her place. He firmly stated that he would just drop her off, but after several prolonged and arousing osculations she had convinced him to join her for an _innocent_ cup of coffee. Five minutes later they were rushing towards her bed as they not-so-strategically discarded their clothing. Hands pushed and pulled, lips smacked and sucked, bodies rubbed and rolled. Still Steve managed to evade that final step that [Y/N] was yearning for, but for now she took satisfaction with the mind-numbing stimulation he had given her, which had her reaching new heights and then tumble over several times. 

Silently they rested on her bed, trying to catch their breaths. Steve held [Y/N] in his arms, but wistful thoughts were clouding his mind. He figured he was supposed to just move on with his life after he woke up and learned that almost all his friends and loved ones were six feet under - but how is that fair to anyone? He felt guilty for living, for not making the most of his life now, for not giving [Y/N] what she deserved: a man with less complicated baggage. It was a double-edged sword for Steve. He wanted to fully commit because he was experiencing those affectionate and meaningful emotions for her, but then there was his past... 

it was this strange thing... he felt lucky, or perhaps it was cursed? Whatever in the world did he do that made him so deserving of such a wretched fate, only to have happiness thrown in his face again? Here he was, decades later in time, and he had a new chance at love, life, and friendship. He could have a new beginning, but how could he possibly allow that to happen when those who mattered to him most in his formative years were now no longer with him... how could he just move on with his life like that? 

“Steve? Are you ok? You’ve become awfully quiet. Way more quiet than usual…”

He looked down at her half-lidded eyes. “I’m ok. I'm just thinking.”

“Penny for your thoughts?” 

She was sweet, he mused, always so concerned with his well-being. She was perfect really, and it made the experience even more bittersweet for him. “I, uhh, I was thinking about how life can change so quickly.” 

“Hm, for the better or worse?” She inquired as she sat up slightly in-between his arms and he held on to her firmly. 

“Both. It seems like one can't live without the other.” 

“Do you... do you want to talk about it?” 

“Oh, not right now…” He averted his gaze for a moment. “Right now I just want to cuddle like this. Having you in my arms makes a world of difference.” His embrace became tighter and she nuzzled in his neck, her hand resting on his heart. 

As her body rose and fell in his tight embrace, his conscience-stricken mind was finally able to quiet down a bit, to come to a halt and to simply focus on her gentle exhalations in his neck, which went paired with tender and soothing kisses on his skin. It was calming. She was the one who brought him out of his melancholic state, and he felt all the more remorseful for being so alive when she was around.


	12. Luke's Lobster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [Y/N] tries to figure out what Steve’s deal is. Steve gets a bit flustered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just crawled out of my bed to post this, because I promised one of my readers an update today and almost forgot about it. Doh. It's been a long day... but here you go! :)

The last time [Y/N] and Steve were together had been great, and when he held her in his arms so lovingly it made her forget about herself. He had the tendency to do that, whether he knew it or not. He was able to slow down that busy mind of hers. But after he left, it got to thinking again. Now that she was starting to see through him, she began to question the motives behind his behavior. He had purposefully changed the subject several times on their last date. Any normal person might have taken that as a hint that he did not want to talk about it, but this must mean [Y/N] wasn’t normal… And he seemed to like that, _anyways_. So here she was, lounging on her dark couch with the sun gently caressing her back, her iPad not-so-steadily resting one the arm of the couch, and a glass of white whine in her hand that was slowly making its way down, inside her body. 

She was googling him. Again. Back when she had first met him in the laundromat, she had googled him too to make sure her suspicions were right. And of course they were. The strange guy asking for change at the laundromat really was Captain America. So once more, she wanted to find out whether or not she should trust her instinct. What was it that was special about yesterday? Or the upcoming week? The Google search was not as easy as she thought it would be, but a whole lot of reading about the great American savior and a couple of glasses of wine later she found a connection. Peggy Carter. She was rumored to have been a past lover. There was no actual confirmation, just a whole lot of _interested fans_ conspiring about his love life. She even found a section that was devoted to the new mystery girl in his life, and [Y/N] got a little sidetracked when she saw pictures of herself. Pictures -taken by onlookers- of them walking, holding hands, sucking face. _Guess he had a good reason not to want to get too… distracted out on the street_. Anyways, Peggy Carter. As it turned out, the upcoming week marked the two-year anniversary of her death. That must make it meaningful somehow. Last time Steve and [Y/N] spoke, he seemed fixated on the date. It must mean something, and she was determined to find out more. Also, [Y/N] considered changing jobs to that of a private investigator. She was pretty damn good at this. 

For their next date Steve took [Y/N] to _Luke’s Lobster_. Sam had told him about this place. He wasn’t very acquainted with Brooklyn, but if there was one place he liked to return to it was _Luke’s_ , for some Maine-styled lobster rolls. Sam had insisted that is exactly what they order, and when their plates were served, [Y/N] was glad for following his persistent request. The griddled split-top bun was toasty, but almost kind of gooey from the sprinkled seasoning of butter, mayonnaise and lemon. _It was delicious_. She wasn’t alone in this. Steve enjoyed his food so much that he had hummed that he would get another round when he was not even half-way through the first one. 

Steve took another mouthful of lobster roll and forgot about his manners, as he tried to speak while chewing. “I wouldn’t mind coming back here.” 

“I wouldn’t mind _sitting_ on your face.”

He almost choked on his food when those unrelated words came out of her mouth. After a couple of coughs, he eyed her and everyone around them, wondering if they had heard what she had said under her breath or if they were just looking at his coughing-fit. 

“Excuse me?” He took a big sip of his lemon-lime soda. It burned as it went down his throat. 

With a smirk she leaned toward him, “You heard me.”

Not sure how to continue this conversation in public, he shook his head in amazement and a nervous smile formed on his lips. 

“Would you be up for that?” She trilled. 

He looked around the room again, and it seemed like the other customers of _Luke’s Lobster_ had returned to their own animated discussions, so he nodded very subtly to [Y/N]. 

“Would that be something new for you?” 

“It’ll surely keep the tradition going of you introducing new things to me, yes.”

“Thought you might have done that already.” She leaned back and took a sip of her mandarin orange soda, and he tried to focus his mind again. 

“Hasn’t happened yet.” He wondered if he should take another bite of his food. 

“The other women you were with were… pillow princesses?” 

His eyebrows scrunched together in confusion, “What… does that mean?”

“You know, women who like to lay back on their pillow and be _catered_ to.”

He let that sink in for a minute, before he plainly stated. “I didn’t hear you complaining the last couple of times.” 

“True, but like I said… I wouldn’t sitting—“

“Yeah, ok.” Steve immediately interrupted her and looked around. “I got it. You’re _not_ a pillow princess.”

“Glad you got it. So…”

“Yeah?” 

“You mentioned the other women you were with?” She was picking out the lobster from her roll now, casually taking bites from it and dirtying her fingers. 

“No, I think you mentioned them.” He carefully observed the movement of her fingers when they connected with her lips.

“Oh, come on, Steve.” She insisted.

With a deliberate smile, he asked. “What would you like to know?”

“Anything. Everything. How many exes do you have?”

“Actual romantic relationships? Just two.”

“Huh, what about the ones that weren’t _romantic_?” Her interest was piqued. 

“A bit more.”

Her mouth fell open, “I thought you said you didn’t sleep around.” 

He nodded his head sternly. “This was a _long_ time ago. Before I was frozen. When I was working for the USO.”

“USO?”

“United Service Organization. I was, uhh, part of live performances with a lot of ladies. It was not my finest moment.” He scratched the back of his head. 

“Performances? A lot of ladies, huh?” [Y/N] was not sure whether she should be amused with his uneasy behavior or be a bit insecure about how he got around. 

“Not that many.”

“I’ll take your word for it.” She brushed it off. She grew up in New York City. That meant she had her fair share of past lovers too. “So back to the two serious relationships. Tell me more.”

He shifted a bit uncomfortably in his chair and put down his fork. “There was… Peggy. I met her when I was training to become… who I am.” 

“At S.H.I.E.L.D.?” 

“The SSR, a unit within the army. S.H.I.E.L.D. didn’t exist then, but she and Howard Stark founded the organization later on.”

“Right, history lesson. Peggy sounds impressive.”

“She was.” **–** He gave a small smile and looked down at his plate when he mumbled **–** “She accomplished a great many deals.”

“Past tense?”

Steve’s eyes went back to [Y/N]’s. “She died. Two years ago.”

“I’m sorry.” 

“Thank you.”

Ok, perhaps this was not the best location to bring up this topic, but she had steered the conversation in this direction purposefully. And perhaps, keeping a bit of physical distance might make it easier for him to reduce his emotional detachment. 

So she continued, “Was it hard for you to see her after you were… unfrozen?” 

He pressed his lips together for a moment, considering his answer. “Not as much as you think. After hearing that everything I once knew was no longer around, it was almost comforting to know that she was still there. She reminded me of home.”

“Still… that must have been bittersweet? Being confronted with all those unobtainable dreams.”

He looked away thoughtfully, “It was.”

Now she felt bad for pressing the subject, but she had to know. She was finally getting more insight into his psyche. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to ruin your mood.” 

“You haven’t. It’s ok.” He gave her a gentle smile. “It’s actually kind of… nice to be able to talk about her. I wasn’t sure if I could.”

“You can. Always.” 

He nodded gratefully when she reached for his hand and squeezed it. “Thank you, [Y/N].”

The two shared a comforting smile, and [Y/N] decided to change the subject and press at a less painful topic. Well, she hoped it was less painful. One way to find out. “So who came after Peggy?”

“Ah. That was Sharon.” She motioned for him to continue talking. “She worked at S.H.I.E.L.D.”

“You’re meeting a lot of women through your work.” 

“I told you, I’m not very good at the whole dating thing.”

“H-mm, sure, Mr. Not-that-many-ladies.” 

“ _That_ wasn’t dating.”

“Sure, rub it in some more.” Her smile grew confident so he knew she was teasing him, and he finally offered a laugh again. 

“So what happened with Sharon?”

“I, uhh, was in it for the wrong reason.” 

“And what was that?”

“This is embarrassing.” He said, and she nodded. 

“That’s ok. We all have a past.” 

“She was a lovely girl.”

“But?” [Y/N] really needed to hear the ‘but’.

“But it wasn’t until I found out about her connection… that I fell for her.” 

“Fell for her, huh? What connection?”

Steve retracted his hand, fiddled with his cutlery, then placed his hand underneath the table. “She is related to Peggy.” 

“What?” [Y/N] seemed a little confused. She would not have come up with this plot twist herself.

“At first it was what I thought I needed. I don’t think I would have dated anyone.. had it not been for that connection, but after a while I realized that wasn’t enough.” 

“ _How_ is she related to Peggy?”

“She’s her great niece.”

This was news to her ears. So maybe the women’s identical last names during her little research on the internet should have been a dead-giveaway, but the women were only rumored love-interests, so she did not really take it serious. “I’m a bit… I don’t know what to say.”

“I told you this was embarrassing.” 

“It’s ok, Steve. I’m only judging you a little.” And she was only joking a little too. 

He averted his gaze and stared at his food. He was not sure what to say next, not sure how to stop [Y/N] from thinking the worst of him. 

Seeing his nerves grow, she decided not to exacerbate his feelings. He was opening up, so she might as well be sympathetic and all that. This was what she wanted, right? “I kind of get it. Peggy was your link to your past… and this way you could sort of stay connected to her and your past.” 

“Yeah…” His voice died down. 

“It’s a little bit strange though.”

“My whole life is strange.” Steve admitted.

“Fitting then?” 

“No. I need more normalcy in my life.” After a diffident pause, he reached out his hand across the table again and hoped she would take it. 

“Is that where I come in?” She looked at his hand, then to him, a pleading look visible in his eyes. 

“If you’ll still have me?” Steve almost whispered. 

Her hand glided closer to his, “Are you sure you’re over Peggy?”

“I am. Being with Sharon helped me come to that conclusion. You’re not a substitute or anything, if that has you worried.” His voice was steadfast now, and his fingers straightened, inviting her in. 

“Hm. Then yes. I’ll still have you.” She interlaced their fingers. “Preferably with me sitting on your face.”

A reassured chuckle passed his lips, and his eyelids moved from her eyes to his plate, his head shaking from left to right at her nonchalance, something he really appreciated right about now. Even if it was in such a public setting. 

“But I think that means it’s time for you to meet my parents.” Her voice turned serious, and he glanced up at her. _What?!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes you gotta be crude to be kind. _I'm so lame_.


	13. New Rochelle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve steps out of his comfort zone. Twice. It's time to meet the parents...

Convincing Steve to meet [Y/N]’s parents had been a bigger challenge than she had first anticipated. He repeated that he wasn’t good at the whole-dating-thing, and certainly not at the parents thing. He had never met Peggy’s parents, and he had avoided Sharon’s, but he was not about to get away with that behavior with [Y/N]. She insisted he’d join her the following weekend.Her parents were eager to meet the man she had been talking about for almost seven months now. When he said he already had plans, she became a bit annoyed and he saw a new side of her. A side he was more than willing to appease, so he canceled his plans

“You know, I’ve never been to New Rochelle… or any other place in upstate New York.” Steve said as he removed the keys from his motorcycle.

[Y/N] put her hair back in place after removing the helmet, “No? How come?” 

“I wasn’t exactly rich when I was still growing up, and traveling cost a lot of money. The most I saw of New York City was Brooklyn. Sometimes I crossed the bridge into Manhattan, but Manhattan was really different in my day.” 

“In _your_ day.” She elongated the word. 

“Yes, alright. Today is _still_ my day.” He ruffled up her hair teasingly, and she pushed his arm away, but he pulled her into a kiss quickly. 

Once he slowed down the kiss, she sighed and continued the conversation. “Why don’t you explore some more now? You’ve got the means.” 

“But I no longer have the time. Life is funny like that. I get to travel all over the world though. I just see very little of it.” He pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “I’m sorry for messing up your hair.”

“Yes, I’ll get you for that.” She nudged him in the side and a hint of mischief became apparent in his eyes. “And, euhm, well, maybe I’ll just have to make you do some more exploring with me.” 

He smiled at her words, then interlaced their fingers and together they walked into her parents’ backyard. With each nervous step they took, their nostrils filled with the aromas of smokey oakwood and a blend of sour and savory meats being prepared at the grill. It smelled like his idea of a perfect Sunday afternoon, and his mouth began to water. Steve took a good look around the cozy backyard. It was small, but the antiqued wood of the dining area and the lively trees really created a relaxed and rustic ambiance. [Y/N]’s parents were chatting animatedly with one another near the grill, and they turned around when they heard Steve and [Y/N] approach. 

“Oh, darling. There you are. We were worried you forgot about us.” 

“New York traffic, mom. It’s unpredictable. Even on Sundays.” [Y/N] shrugged and introduced Steve to her parents. 

She could see that they had to hold back their excitement about meeting Captain America. They only asked [Y/N] about him all the time, after she told them she was dating him. It was a strangething to have her father congratulate her for picking ‘such a fine man’. He had always been hard on the men (not that many) she brought home to meet her parents, but it seemed like Steve had already gained her father’s approval without having met him. It was slightly unnerving. 

While her parents held back their glee, Steve tried to keep his nerves at bay. He was acting like he did when they were walking down the street, or eating at a restaurant, and a stranger would approach him to ask a question, ask for a photo, or whatever else. He would be cordial, but distant. It always was fascinating to see how his demeanor would completely change once he was approached. It was almost like a performance, perhaps not meant as one… but he was very conscious of his behavior. 

Cliche number one was when he complimented the backyard and the food. 

“It really smells delicious, ma’am.” Steve commented to [Y/N]’s mother.

“Oh, honey, you should tell that to my husband. He’s the one who loves to grill.”

And with that, Steve found something to bond over with her father. Cliche number two. 

But [Y/N] did not mind; she knew that Steve was trying his best.. and he fitted in so easily. It was hard not to when her parents already decided for her that he was the man of her dreams - more like _their_ dreams. There was really no losing for Steve. It even showed during playful banters when they took his side over hers. _What had she gotten herself into?_

Her parents were just as much on their best behavior as Steve was, or so she thought. It was an interesting sight. Everyone was being extra pleasant, and she felt like provoking them, but she held back... for now. Her father commented on how the world was in good hands with a man like Steve, especially after last year's events when there was a bit of a public spat between Steve and Tony. Her dad clearly did not like the rich billionaire, but preferred someone who stood up for the average guy. Steve gave her father an appreciative smile, but changed the subject. He did not want to continue that particular conversation, since it brought back painful memories. 

Her mother mumbled something to Steve about how he was much ... bigger than he seemed on the television. She was under the impression that the television screen was supposed to make people look bigger and broader, but here he stood ‘firm and strong’, she described him, and how he proved her wrong. 

It was extremely disturbing, but the awkwardness heightened when she cautiously nudged his arm and said: “You're so... sturdy.” 

“Mom, _please_. Don't touch my boyfriend.” 

“I'm sorry, honey. I had to check if he was real.”

“He's very real.” [Y/N] shook her head. Technically, she couldn't blame her mother for that mortifying action... She was used to the effect Steve had on women, because she was one of them, but it was still weird. That was her mom.

Steve smiled uncomfortably, uncrossing his arms to rub his neck, and her father laughed at how the situation was unfolding. 

“Oh, love, you're embarrassing the kids. We promised [Y/N] we'd wait until after dinner.” Her father cackled. 

“No, you promised not to do anything _humiliating_ at all, _dad_.” She stressed the last word. 

“I think you're overestimating our capabilities. Want something to drink? A soda? Lemonade?” Her mother pointed at the jar of homemade lemonade on the long wooden table. 

“I think I'm gonna need something a little bit stronger if I'm gonna have to deal with you two like this.” [Y/N] scowled.

Her father laughed at her answer, taking pleasure in her pain, and her mom told her she knew where to find something stronger. 

“Come on, Steve. Better not leave you alone with them.” And she took his hand and pulled him inside the house. 

“Your parents have a really nice place.” Steve observed after taking it in. 

[Y/N] walked into the kitchen, and he followed her. “Yeah, not too shabby.”

“Why did they decide to leave Brooklyn?” 

“Hm, slow down their pace of life, I guess. After dad retired, he and mom wanted to settle down away from the crowds. He wanted to give my mom what she had been waiting for all those year.” 

“What was that?” Steve leaned against a kitchen cupboard.

“Her husband by her side, not running around taking care of others, working his two jobs, chasing his dreams.”

“Sounds like a busy man. What did your mom do?”

“She was a pretty traditional mom. Very hands-on in me and my younger brother's life. Took care of her man when she wasn't taking care of us. You see, working two jobs made dad very tired when he came home late at night, so my mom catered to his needs.”

“You're making that sounds _very_...”

“I know, I'm disturbed with myself. Let me rephrase that...She made sure there always was a hot meal on the table. My dad didn't like reheating his food, so she cooked twice. He's so spoiled. She always listened to him vent about the mundane things in life, she got out of bed before dad to make him breakfast, was the last one to go to bed after cleaning the house, and when either me or my brother had trouble sleeping she’d be by our side. Hm, she supported dad's dreams, etc. She was there for all of us... and neglected herself a little in the process.” 

“That sounds rough.” 

“Hm, now dad's returning the favor.”

“By catering to your mom's needs?"”

She shivered at the double entendre, “Just no. Where's the wine? Do you want some? Or beer, or?” 

Steve laughed and shook his head while [Y/N] browsed through the liquor cabinet. “I'll actually take some lemonade. Looked delicious.”

The backyard cookout was a relaxing delight for [Y/N] if she kept ignoring some of her parents’ insidious remarks. Steve mentioned something about how he finally understood where she got her sense of humor from, but [Y/N] just blew her hair out of her face, ignoring him and her parents for teaming up against her. She expressed silent gratitude to whomever was listening out there that her younger brother was not here for the fun at her expense, because her darker side might have shone through. Her brother had the tendency to bring that out of her. Once all their bellies were filled, and their laughters died down a little, [Y/N]’s father took on a more serious tone. 

“Look, Steve. Here’s the thing. Our daughter has been talking about you for quite some time now. I had expected a visit to happen sooner.” Her dad looked the both of them in their eyes, and [Y/N] rolled hers. “Now you may very well be Captain America, but apart from that, [Y/N] is my only daughter, and her well-being means the world to me. So I wonder, Steve, are you serious about my daughter?” 

The comfort that Steve may have eased into earlier, because of her parents’ lightheartedness, was suddenly vanishing. Steve sat up straighter in his chair when her father uttered the words, and then he fumbled over his own: “Uhh, y-yes, sir. I am.” 

“Dad, don’t be such an old hat.” 

“You don’t be a brat.” Her father looked at her again, a grin appearing on his face. “I thought I taught you better than that.”

“You taught me the opposite.” She rolled her eyes again, and he roared with laughter. 

“You see. _That’s_ my daughter.” Her father continued and Steve nodded “I expect you to do right by her. My expectations are—”

“Daddd, good grief. Mom, will you make him stop?” [Y/N] pleaded with her mom.

“You know, honey. Once your father is on a roll, there’s nothing I can do to stop him.”

Her father grinned at her mother, and lifted her hand to place a kiss on it. “Well, there’s one thing you _could_ do.” His mother giggled like a ditzy teenager in love.

“Aaaaand we’re out.” [Y/N] stood up. Things were quickly becoming too close for comfort, when she had painful flashbacks to her childhood when she found her parents in the most compromising situations. “Thanks for dinner, mom. _Dad_.”

 

—————————— 

 

“You are a lot like your father, you know.” Steve commented after he dropped [Y/N] off at her place. He came up for a nightcap. Steve did not need any convincing this time. 

“I get that a lot. Usually with a ‘but you look exactly like your mother’.” She offered him a glass of bourbon.

Steve bobbed his head, “Thanks. I was going to say that next.”

“As long as you’re not into older women.”

Steve chuckled, “Technically I’m older. And I’m only into you.”

“That’s the right answer.” She took a step towards him, closing the distance between their bodies, and he put down his glass on her kitchen table next to him when his eyes scanned how she wetted her lips. 

They shared a long and slow kiss. Mouths open, tongues entangled, and breathing arduous. It was sensual and she could feel her body yearning for more. After that, they made quick work of getting out of their clothes and moving to her bedroom. They left a messy trail of their garments behind on the floor, and their nightcaps were forgotten. He unfastened her bra and peppered her hard and sensitive nipples with warm kisses, nibbling on them ever so often to extract more noises from her. Noises that made his cock grow hard within seconds. Her hands roamed over his figure, and when she found his hardness she pumped him until he pinned her on the bed with his body. Another slow and tortuous kiss, and he moved his fingers down south. She knew she was ready for him when she felt her wetness sliding down in her underwear, and her entrance had started aching for him. Not once leaving her lips, he wriggled her out of her affected underwear and got a first-hand experience of how willing she was. His fingers slid easily between her folds, and he dipped his finger slightly inside of her only to take it out and encircle her nub. The shallow insertions made her entrance even more responsive to his touch, and she bucked her hips every time his finger slid down. He already had her panting with exertion, and was barely making an effort himself. 

“Steve…” She moaned into his mouth. “Could you not?” 

“Not? Do you want me to stop?” His face looked sincere, but he had to be kidding. Right?! She let go of his cock as a form of punishment. 

“Stop torturing me.” She muttered, and he pushed his lips on hers while two fingers suddenly pushed inside of her. She gasped at the delicious sensation, and bucked her hips into his hand again. His thumb moved upward towards her clitoris and he set up a slow pace, rubbing against her nub and pushing in and out of her unhurriedly. Over and over again. _So much for not torturing_. 

“Fuck, [Y/N]. You’re so wet. You keep sucking in my fingers.”

A hot flush spread through her chest after he verbalized his candid thoughts. Between breaths, she panted. “Maybe you should just stop torturing…” 

“Let me just…” Steve removed his fingers, got distracted by the fluids on them, then licked themclean. A shudder racked through [Y/N]’s body. Was there a sexier sight than to have that man hover above her head and relish in what she had to offer? Their eyes connected and he leaned down for a wet kiss, sweeping her juices all over her lips. “Hold on.” He broke the kiss and searched for his wallet on the floor. 

“What are you looking for?” [Y/N] was unhappy about the lack of touching going on right now. 

“Uhh, condoms.” He gave her a sheepish smile. 

“Here.” She opened the drawer of her nightstand and he raised her eyebrow. 

She pushed her hair to the side and shrugged, “I like to be prepared.”

“Good thing you are.” He walked to the drawer and removed a blue object. “What’s this?” He had to contain his nervous laughter when both their faces reddened. 

“That’s… put it back. Steve, you’re so rude!” 

“I’m sorry. My curiosity got the best of me.” He put the vibrator back, grabbed a condom, closed the drawer with a nervous grin, and hovered over her again. He was acting like a misbehaving boy, and she was both annoyed with and turned on by that growing smile. She pulled him down for another kiss, and her hands circled around his waist, wanting to feel the warmth of his body against hers once more. His face disappeared into her neck where he bit and sucked, reddening her skin more and more and eliciting long moans from her lips. 

“Are you just set on… ahhh, embarrassing me today?” Her nails dug in his shoulder blades. 

With a deep voice, he whispered in her ear, “I do like it when you’re all flustered…” 

The words were heard, but she was not listening. She needed to feel him rubbing against her clit, teasing her entrance again, and have him thrusting inside with his long fingers. She longed for him to fill her up. The absence of his touch was almost painful. 

Steve sat up on the bed, taking away any form of touching completely, and [Y/N] mirrored his position reluctantly. He unwrapped the condom, and she kissed him again, not afraid to show him how much she craved his attention. 

“What do you want to do…?” She breathed against his mouth, and he held on to her head and devoured her lips.

“I want to… _you know_.” 

“Yes?”

He placed the condom on the tip of his cock, “Have sex.”

“Oh.” She looked him in the eyes. “Just to make sure we’re on the same page. You mean the penis-in-vagina kind, right?” 

He smiled, “That’s the one.” 

“Finally.” She pulled him down by his neck and he almost lost his balance, but was able to stabilize himself with the arm that was not wrapping the condom around himself. One kiss. Two kisses. A bite of the lip. A hand that slithered down. Pushing her legs open, he nestled himself between them and rubbed his cock over her soft folds. The movement felt slick and sweet. 

Another brush of the lips, “Eager?”

“I’ve only been waiting forever.” She rolled against him, and his jaw stiffened when he almost slipped inside.

“Then I’ll have to make it worth your while.” She felt the tip move over her entrance, and she sucked in her breath with _eager_ anticipation. When he slowly entered her, she bit her lip to suppress the moan as he began to stretch her out. 

Then she gasped a little. “Oh, you feel a lot bigger than I thought you would.” 

“Is that a bad thing?” He stopped the motion and focused on her eyes.

“No, but maybe just…” She pushed him out of her and rolled their bodies around. He groaned when all he felt was the cold air, and not her heat. Strapping her knees around his legs, she steadied herself on top of him. It was an arousing view. One he would not mind repeating. Often. His arms held on to her strong legs while he let her take control, suddenly feeling much needier himself. Grabbing him with one hand, she lifted his cock upright and slowly began to slide down and up, then down a little deeper. He groaned again and his body tensed up while a much more satisfied sigh escaped her lips. “… _this_.” 

Once he had filled her up completely, and had fulfilled that need, she began to slowly rock her body back and forth, ever so often taking him out completely only to experience the sensation of being filled up once more. The slippery friction felt unbridled and gratifying at the same time, and she never wanted to stop experiencing this. 

“Do you know how much spoiled underwear I’ve had? Spoiled with my need for you.” She was trying to make a point as she panted out each word. 

He grunted with desire; her words only pushing him closer to his edge. “The things you say.” He sat up and tugged her head back down with him in one swift motion, forcing their lips together with brute impact. Her arms fell on his chest, pressing her breasts together as her figure leaned forward, and his hands moved to her ass in a tight grip. He began to move her body for her. He felt so intoxicating in-between her legs, so seductive and sinful. _Complete_. Changing the pace, he lifted his hips and thrusted inside of her at an unrelenting speed, and she cried out in pleasure against his lips. As he took in her cries, she took in every inch of him, and together they blurred the contours that sundered their bodies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're building towards an ending... would love to know your thoughts :)! x


	14. Home Is Where The Heart Is

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [Y/N] is getting fed up again, so it’s time for another heart-to-heart.

It had been a while since Steve met her parents. [Y/N] was really happy about the turn of events after that day, and things had been going well. He had opened up to her. They had been seeing more of each other and had been spending more time together, in and out of bed. But then three whole weeks had passed since their last date when he took her to Coney Island, before she heard from him again… and it felt like they were back at the start. She had not gotten a peep out of him sooner, and it had frustrated her dearly. _Yes, he had been on a mission. Yes, he had been off saving the world, but I was still here. I needed him too. Not just the world._ She groaned in annoyance at the thoughts that were running through her mind. _This is the type of woman that he is turning me into_. And she hated it. Before Steve came along, she had prided herself on being an independent and levelheaded woman, who enjoyed living her life to the fullest with her family, friends and the occasional lover. But the more she took a backseat to his work life, the more her confidence in their relationship splintered. Even after everything that had transpired. She just did _not_ like feeling like she was waiting on someone. 

“I’ve missed you so much.” He tightened their embrace after she let him enter her apartment. 

“I missed you too, Steve.” She said coolly into his shoulder.

“How are you, sweetheart?” He gave her a modest peck, before he let her answer. 

“I’m good. I’m glad you’re here.”

“Hmm, yes.” He kissed her again, this time slowly deepening the kiss, and she felt herself weakening in his strong arms. 

“I want you. It’s been too long.” He murmured into the kiss while his hands moved down to her bottom, and she felt her own need taking over. 

He lifted her legs and wrapped them around his body, not once breaking their kiss that was quickly heating up, and with clear precision he walked them to her couch where he laid her down and removed his shirt, before he hovered above her and their lips collided once again. His touches were fervent and needy, and it made her forget all about how she had been feeling in his absence.He pushed her top over her breasts and was pleasantly surprised when he saw she was not wearing anything underneath, not waisting a second he let his hands wander and warmed her up. Once he thrusted inside of her, and took up a demanding pace, she was a quivering mess with legs that felt like jelly. He brought them closer to their edges until they surrendered themselves to one another.

Spent bodies unwounded quietly on the couch. The sounds of their breathing pervaded through the living room while her mind slowly started to overwork itself again. His head was resting on her chest, listening to the thud of her heart against his ear, and his fingers gently stroked the curve of her breast. 

“That was…” She tried to gather her thoughts.

“…Amazing.” He pushed his chest up and kissed her slowly.

“Hm, definitely.”

“I could do that again. In the shower?” He did not stop kissing her. 

“Hm, in a minute. Give a girl some time to catch her breath.”

He chuckled, but ended their kiss and brushed the hair out of her face before he asked, “So how have you been?”

“Busy at work. It always gets busy this time of the year. But other than that pretty good, actually. You?”

“Oh, a long mission, but we were able to successfully complete it, so all good in the end. Are you handling the stress of the job well? You told me that sometimes it gets to you.”

“Sometimes it just feels like the things you’re supposed to be having a handle on, are having a handle on you… and things quickly become overwhelming that way.”

“I understand that.”

“But so far I’m ok. I’m just trying to keep a good balance.”

“Good.” **–** He pecked her proudly **–** “That’s my girl.”

“Hey, Steve?”

“Yes, sweetheart?” He deepened their kiss again.

“I've got a family gathering next week. A birthday. Think you can make it?”

“Oh… I’m not sure. You know scheduling things is difficult. When is it?”

“Friday.”

“Hm, Friday’s are hard.” She could feel him withdrawing mentally.

“I know.” 

“I can’t make any promises.” Another kiss. 

“Sure.”

“Whose birthday is it, anyways?”

“Just my niece. She’s a big fan of you, you see. And my parents wouldn’t mind seeing you again.”

“I see.” He kissed her again, and she felt her frustration growing. 

This was not the first time that he was noncommittal about a plan she suggested that revolved around more than them meeting up. More often than not he would make himself available to please her, but it annoyed her that she had to insist in the first place. She desired a man who chose to be there, not because he had to out of some sense of obligation, but because he wanted to.

“How about that shower?” He got off the couch and started walking towards her bathroom, not waiting for her answer. 

“Sure.” She sighed to herself, before she followed him. 

The time they spent together was great. It always was. He was mostly invested in her when they were together, and he gave her his undivided attention, but she had come to realize that the deeper their relationship grew, the more reserved he seemed. _Like there was something holding him back_. She feared it meant that he did not feel about her the way she felt about him. That little seed of doubt combined with his forever-busy schedule and evasive answers, made her… tense. 

“Hey? Sweetheart, come here. Stop pacing.” He reached for her with his arms, and she held on to them as she sat down on the couch next to him. 

“What, Steve?”

“You’re upset. What’s the matter?” He soothingly caressed her shoulder, while she turned to look at him. 

“Do you really want to know? I don’t think you do.”

“I do.”

“It’s nothing you don’t already know, Steve. I’m just growing tired of it.”

“Of what?”

“Of you! Of me. Of us. It’s like you’re making up excuses for why you can’t be around, for why you can’t fully commit. It’s always your work, and I can’t complain about that, because you go out and you save the world. It’s an important job. I get it. But where does that leave me?”

He flinched at her harsh words, “[Y/N]…” He had been avoiding this conversation.

“And I don’t like what this relationship is turning me into. Into this needy and insecure woman. That is not who I am.” Her anger was coming out, and he wisely chose to remain silent.

“So I have to know this, Steve. Is it always going to be like this? Because I can’t always be the one who keeps pushing you to give me what I need, the one who is waiting around for you to give me what I want. I no longer want to feel this way, so I have to know are you really in this, or not?”

“[Y/N]… I’m sorry that I’ve made you feel this way. It’s just that…” **–** He sighed **–** “I’m head over heels in love with you and that scares me _so_ _much_. I thought I stopped wanting the simple life. You know, a wife and kids. Those things. I thought there no longer was a place for that in my world… after… after everything that happened. But I haven’t felt this way about a woman…” **–** He stroked her cheek **–** “…in such a long time, and now that I do… I guess I’m afraid of letting myself go.”

“But why?”

“I’ve lost so many important people in my life. My parents. Peggy. Bucky. Heck, I’m _still_ adjusting to this life. I’m not sure I’d survive it, if I ended up losing you too…” He confessed. 

Her heart warmed with affection, “Oh, Steve. You’re not going to lose me.”

“That’s not how it’s gone for me so far.”

“You’re not going to lose me!” She reached for his hands and brought them to her face, tenderly placing kisses on his wrists and the palm of his hands. 

He stared at her intensely, his mind running wild with thoughts, and waited until she looked back at him. 

“You’re not going to lose me.” She whispered this time, and he nodded slowly before he wrapped those big hands around her jaw, leaned his body forward, and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. He wanted to believe her more than anything. He wanted to give into her completely. 

“Are you willing to put a little faith in me? In us?” She asked between kisses, and he kept on nodding and kissing her. 

“I am. I am. I’m sorry, [Y/N].” His arms enveloped around her frame as he pulled her into a hug on the couch, and he held on to her tightly, vowing to himself to never let her go. 

“It’s fine, Steve. I’m glad you told me. Now I understand better, and we can move forward and make some changes, yeah?” She nestled her face comfortably against his chest, listening to his stable heartbeat.

“Yes.” He breathed into her hair. 

“Oh, Steve?”

“Hm?”

“I’m head over heels in love with you too.” 

She nuzzled her face further into his body, and heard him smile when she uttered the reciprocation of his feelings. As their embrace grew stronger, the tension in her body seeped away, and was replaced with a reassuring warmth and heartening delight. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here’s a confession: I’ve a hard time writing fluff. Lol, yup. Hope you liked it, though!


	15. Baco Dumbo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After confessing their feelings for one another, where do [Y/N] and Steve end up?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sad to announce the final chapter is here. I hope you’re happy with the ending I’ve given Steve and my dear Reader.   
> _Thank you for being part of this Brooklyn journey…_ and I hope you let me know what it was like for you! Enjoy!

Here they were, styled to a tee in their formalwear. She wore a knee-length, dark green cocktail dress that hugged her curves, and he looked handsome in his black tuxedo. Black peep-toe platform slingbacks and shiny Gibson shoes. Tonight surely was not about comfort, [Y/N] thought as she balanced herself on her high heels. The ceiling looked like a starry sky with its embellishment of flowing drapery and small golden lights that together produced a soft and radiant glow throughout the venue. Their families (well, her family) and their friends had gathered around the lavishly-wrapped cocktail tables in their chicest costumes, and were eager to celebrate Steve and [Y/N]’s engagement tonight. 

“How are you holding up?” Steve asked [Y/N] when he returned with a new drink in his hand. “Your cava, sweetheart.” 

“Thanks.” She accepted the glass along with a soft kiss, and he hummed his approval against her lips. “I’m fine. Somehow managing.” She said after he broke their touch, and he hummed again in approval, this time while he sipped on his own drink. 

“I found a spot…” He didn’t look at her as he murmured the words. 

[Y/N] smiled and greeted a passing friend, “Where?” 

“Behind the bar, there’s a staircase that leads up to a small balcony. It’s a bit cold, but I’ll keep you warm.” He took another sip. 

“I’ll see you in two. I’ll powder my nose in the meantime, or something.” They looked at each other, and goofy grins appeared on their faces.

“Right.” He chuckled, leaning down for another kiss, and left her side. 

A thrill that came from sneaking around coursed through her, from her head to her toes. Really, she thoroughly enjoyed her engagement party and felt blessed that so many people came together to celebrate it with them, but the party had been going on for such a long time and she was tired of being social. The only thing that was on her mind was Steve, and all the things she wanted to do to him, and have him do to her. She glanced around the room to see if anyone was actively paying attention to her, but that did not seem to be the case. She gulped down her bubbles in one long swallow -she had years of practice- and started walking back to the bar. High heels and a lot of alcohol. Perhaps not the best combination, she mused as she steadied herself on the bar table. 

Her head was spinning a little, so a bit of fresh air would do her good about now. Suppressing a giggle, she walked towards the staircase behind the bar and searched for the balcony. He was already waiting there, looking out at the darkness and standing straight with his hands in his pockets, and when he heard footsteps he turned towards her. He beamed when he saw her, and immediately offered his right arm to give her support and wrap her up inside of the warmth of his jacket. 

“You took forever.” He complained as his left hand traced her lips, then took an explorative route downward. It slid gently over her breast and nipple, which were already hardening because of the cold, and he re-acquainted himself with her chest. The warmth of his hand was comforting and goosebumps manifested all over her body. He rubbed her nipple in-between his fingers and she wanted to kiss him so badly.

She graced her teeth over her bottom lip and lifted her heels, as much as that was possible, to get closer to his mouth. “Not yet.” His voice became deeper and he pressed his hips against hers. He was becoming affected too. She felt him, and she had to restrain herself. His hand slithered from her breast to her waist, then down to her back and bottom where he squeezed again. She could feel him growing against her belly, and her head fell forward on his chest.

His lips found her ear and he licked it. “Shit, [Y/N]. I really want to lift your dress and fuck you right here.” 

His words of lust, spoken so easily, sent a shiver down her spine, but they were not something she thought he would really do. Steve rarely took risks in public spaces. He saved all of those for the confinements of their homes. So when she looked up at him again, and both of their mouths opened in arousal, the words that came out of her mouth were spoken partly in lust, partly in analcohol-induced frenzy, and partly out of carelessness. 

“Then do it.” 

Both his hands grabbed her waist and pushed her bottom against the cold balustrade of the balcony. [Y/N] gasped and wrapped her arms around his neck when he made the sudden movement. She shivered as she felt the cold of the balustrade, but the warmth of his tongue penetrating in her mouth quickly began to diffuse throughout her body. He did not give her time to think, but began lifting her tight knee-length dress up her legs, attempting to place himself in-between them. 

“Careful. You’re gonna rip the dress like that.” [Y/N] broke the kiss to make eye-contact, but his face moved to her neck, attacking it with fervent and sloppy brushes of his wet lips. “Oh, Steve.” She held in her breath when he nibbled on her skin. 

His explorative hands grabbed her hips and he turned her around with a forceful motion, now pushing her hip bones against the cold balustrade and her ass against his throbbing cock. “Then we’ll do it like this.” His voice was heavy with emotion and his hand curved over her back. 

“Oh my God.” His rough handling sent an intense ache from her groin up to her chest, and she rolled against his body. His hand snaked around her throat, and pushed her neck and head back against his chest, which gave him easier access to her mouth. He leaned down his face and ravished her with teeth and tongue. She stood no chance and whimpered while his other hand pulled at her dress until the hem was within his grasp. Then he slowly scratched his nails over her exposed skin as he raised the fabric higher and higher, gradually allowing more cold in-between her legs. He was making her feel out of breath and she had to steady herself against the balustrade. The delirium of desire, so easily invoked by his actions and the reasonable amount of bubbles, already had her quivering for him in her high heels. 

“Good God!” Sam exclaimed and Steve stepped away from [Y/N] immediately, still with his back towards Sam, but picturing Sam naked now in the hopes of quickly getting rid of his boner. It was _not_ a pretty sight. The cold also helped with that. [Y/N] turned towards Sam and awkwardly twisted her body as she pushed her dress down her legs again. “Why do I keep catching you two with your faces attached to each other? And now your bodies too?! You’ve got a lifetime for those kinds of shenanigans. Now I don’t enjoy being the dad here, but Natasha’s a bit on edge after some of the preparations for tonight fell through at the last moment. So the least you two could do is _behave_.”

“Jeeze, save the speeching for our wedding toast.” [Y/N] mocked before she stole another kiss from Steve, who complained a bit too loudly in frustration at the touch. He wasn’t ready to stop yet, but he knew it was for the best. He almost took it too far. 

“Alright, let’s go.” Sam dragged Steve away by the arm. Steve gave [Y/N] an apologetic smile, and she bit her lip with want. _This was turning out to be a long night_.

Sam stopped dragging Steve once they entered the small venue again, and together they walked over to his colleagues, some of which he still called friends. They had all come, and some arrivals were more surprising than others. Tony muttered something about never giving up the chance to party and drink free alcohol. According to him, everything was better when it was free, or when he paid for it. Somehow… that did not make a lot of sense to Steve, but then he and Tony rarely saw eye-to-eye, so he chose not to comment on it. Thor, Wanda, Bruce, Vision (he turned some heads), and even James showed up. Steve was relieved that they were all able to put aside their remaining work-differences and come together for a personal situation like this one. Guess he had Natasha to thank for that. She knew how to instill _any_ emotion in a person. 

As their drinks flowed, so did their conversations. Steve looked around the room for [Y/N] and saw that she was talking to her best friend in front of the stage. He also noticed that her parents were walking up the stage, and a look of horror crossed [Y/N]’s face. Entertained with the scenario in front of him, he excused himself and walked towards his _fiancé_. That word would never get old. 

Time had flown by and it had been almost a year after their talk. _The talk_. The one in which they both finally confessed their feelings for one another, after dating for eight months and being an official couple for five of them (Steve was not kidding when he said he wanted to take things slowly). After that he made an effort to reduce his crazy work hours a bit. He no longer felt the need to lose himself in his duties anymore, now that he was giving love another chance. An honest chance. The results did not go unnoticed, and [Y/N] was extremely happy that she got to see him on a much more steady basis, which was at least once a week. Talk about improvement, she had said jokingly. Even if it was once a week, they would always sleep over; the night offered them darkness and bliss, but the following morning brought forth the pain of saying goodbye and the agony of waiting. 

The change had come easily to them both. She emphasized that she was not asking for much, and he agreed. He started taking more regular hours and dialing back the amount of missions, with the occasional likelihood that disaster could strike and he would have to leave immediately. That was a compromise she was willing to make. He was Captain America, after all. It was important that he always was on stand by for any calamity.

As they slowly increased the amount of time they spent together, their need to spend even more moments with each other grew stronger. Days turned into nights, and nights into days. Without being able to point a certain moment in time, they gradually became inseparable: he came home earlier for her, she cooked more meals for him, they ate late dinners together everyday, and they shared a warm and loving bed each night. He remembered those moments with rapture, and it was what led him to finally taking the next step. Well, that was not exactly how it went. 

That particular change he _was_ able to pinpoint down to one specific moment. It was when they celebrated their one-year anniversary. He was wearing a suit and tie, dark blue because that was her favorite color, and she wore a flowing golden dress that draped beautifully around her curves. He had to do his best to keep his hands off her body that night. Well, he may have indulged a little. The murmurs of chattery people and the deep buzzing rhythm of a slow song wafted across the dance floor they were on, and charmed them into a tranquil trance. Their figures were pressed closely against one another, and the loud thud of their hearts seemed to still against the backdrop of the music. She suddenly withdrew her head from his chest, and looked up at him with a smile. His blue orbs glanced down to see if she was ok. When he saw [Y/N]’s eyes, those content and loving eyes, he could see that there was no one and _nothing_ else that he wanted more. That, yes, at first he had been scared about this, but seeing all the love and patience she had for him… he was certain that she would always have his back, and that was the safest and most reassuring feeling in the world. He wanted to cherish that feeling - cherish _her_. And it was in that moment, that perfectly peaceful moment, that he knew: he was going to marry her. 

Steve snapped out of his thoughts when he heard [Y/N] gasp next to him. Her mother had grabbed the microphone from her husband’s hands and added to his speech: “And we’ll definitely never tire from hearing the countless stories about _how_ Steve is good to our daughter. She likes to go into details.”

“Oh, mom, please! You’re embarrassing me.” [Y/N] yelped to her mother, then turned her face towards the amused crowd. “That’s not at all like she’s making it sound.”

Her father chortled, “This was just to whet your appetite, everyone. Just wait until the wedding party. You’ll get the grand finale.”

“Oh my God, can someone take away their microphone?” [Y/N] searched for Sam and Natasha but they were nowhere to be found. She looked up at Steve and found him joining her father’s laughters. “Steve!” She prodded him in the ribs, and he chuckled at her nervous reactions. 

“Ok, I’ll defuse the situation, but you owe me.” He pecked her lips modestly, but let his hand slide down dangerously low from the small of her back to her bottom only to subtly tighten his grip. She expressed the growing frustration between her legs when he let go of her, with a loud sigh. A big grin and he was gone, and she watched him approach her parents. 

“Ah, finally a moment without Steve by your side.” Natasha approached [Y/N].

Trying to look less startled [Y/N] asked her. “Huh, where were you a second ago?” 

“Taking care of the canapé, one of the waiters almost messed it up. _Almost_.” 

“You should relax. It’s a party.” 

“I like being busy, and bossing people around. It’s my second nature.” Natasha shrugged before she took a long sip of her cava. 

[Y/N] smiled at the comment and let her mind wander for a second. “Look, I’m really thankful for your help. Steve is too.”

“I know. Just keep doing what you’re doing. It’s good to finally see Steve like this.” Natasha looked away, and [Y/N] followed her gaze to Steve and her parents who were now talking animatedly with the microphone safely stored away. “You both deserve it.” Natasha raised her glass of cava to clink it with [Y/N]’s. 

“Thank you, Natasha.” [Y/N] beamed when her engagement ring sparkled next to the fizzy drinks. 

_Her beautiful engagement ring._ It was a rose gold ring with a strawberry pink morganite stone that sat upon diamond encrusted shoulders. The gemstone came in a princess cut. Steve had mumbled something about how she might not be a pillow princess, but that he wanted to treat her like a princess anyways. It was very corny, but it made her laugh really hard, because it reminded her of the conversation they had had many months prior to his proposal. 

_The proposal_. [Y/N] thought he had planned that out remarkably well. She had no idea what he was up to. She had no idea that he had spoken to her parents a couple of months before to ask for their permission - like he even needed that. It was three months after their one-year anniversary. She remembered it, because it was the first time they went on holiday together. She finally got him to agree to take some time away from work. Well, she thought _she_ did. She thought she was the one who was planning the holiday when it was him who had set up an elaborate plan to go down on his knees again, _one knee_ this time, and ask for her hand in marriage. 

Fall had come and gone, and winter was in full swing. They had booked a week-trip to the scenic mountains of Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Not exactly a trip around the world, but it was just what they needed. Their stay in a cozy and romantic cabin enclosed by high trees was unencumbered and blissful. Steve and [Y/N] turned their phones off for a whole week and were isolated from the rest of the world. They certainly weren't in Brooklyn anymore. It was an unusual feeling, more so for [Y/N] than for Steve, but he found many ways to keep that mind of hers busy… or let it slow down. Then on one of their last days in Gatlinburg, they took a walk through the forest, up the steep hill into the mountains, until they reached the top to sit down and enjoy the setting of the sun. It was then when Steve began behaving strangely, disentangling himself from their embrace, asking her to stand up with him, then going down on one knee again. She knew what was happening then, after he did that, but it was so unexpected that her mind blanked in that moment. 

“[Y/N].” He cleared his throat and thought about what he wanted to say. He had recited this many times in his head. He waited for her reaction, but she only blinked. So he continued with a steady voice, “I love you and I—“

“Y-yes!” She stammered. 

“Want to… _what_?” He was pulled out of his concentration. 

She fell down to her knees next to him, her surprise turning into shock. “Yes, I want to marry you! Are you… oh my God, are you _not_ proposing?! Did I misjudge the situation?”

“I am.” He chuckled, still a bit confused, and overjoyed she pulled him into her lips. They sat there on their knees for a minute, impassioned by the confusing but exciting circumstances, letting their breaths mingle and the kiss linger on their lips. “But at least let me finish. I _practiced_.” 

They both laughed at his admission, and she nodded a sorry. 

“I, uhh, where was I? I, uhh, want to let you know how much you’ve changed me this past year, three months, four days and eighteen hours. I calculated when the sun would set. I could go down to the bare minutes and seconds, but that seemed a little excessive.” She laughed again while her eyes began to well up with tears, and he removed a black box from his jacket. 

Turning serious again, he stared deep into her eyes. “You’ve really… really changed my life, [Y/N], in ways I no longer thought were possible for me. You’ve given me a another chance at happiness, and I will forever be in your debt… and I don’t know how I could possibly repay you, but I would like to start right now.. with this ring, with your hand, if you’ll have me?”

Overcome with emotions when she saw the sparkling ring, she simply nodded her head. 

“Yeah?” He asked unsure. She had to laugh again. It must be a nervous habit, she normally was not like this. But this time she laughed at his uncertainty. She had practically begged him to marry her a second ago, and yet he needed to hear her confirm it. She pushed down the lump that had formed in her throat and sat down on the side of her leg. He mirrored her position, awaiting her confirmation, and she pulled him in for another kiss. 

“Yes, Steve. Of course, I’ll have you.” She beamed and he stroked her cheek, removing a tear that had managed to escape from her eyes. 

“You had me worried there for a second.” He chuckled with relief. 

“Don’t be silly.” She offered her hand, and he removed the rose gold ring from the black box and placed in on her finger. 

“It’s a princess cut! Just what I like. Steve, it’s really beautiful.” She leaned into his embrace, the packed dirt of the walkway spreading over their pants, and he tightened his hold on her. His firm embrace said more than words ever could. She always believed actions spoke louder than words, but she was glad he was using both now. She brushed her nose over his mouth until their lips met in a long and warm caress, and they forgot all about the setting sun that was disappearing into the horizon. 

She had been a bit of an emotional fool that day. She ruined his proposal with a premature answer. She got both of them dirty, because of what happened after, and she could not stop laughing and crying. He must have been very confused, but he really had done the unexpected… and it had made her a bit bewildered. 

“Ok, your parents are all taken care of.” Steve said as he walked back to [Y/N], and she looked at her side but Natasha had vanished _again_. “But I can’t make any promises about the wedding day itself. They were quite adamant and if I’m being honest… I’m pretty curious about their stories.” He grinned and she gently dug her fingers into his abdomen, expressing her disapproval and cupping a feel at the same time. 

His eyelids fluttered down to her lips at the touch, and he leaned his head down again. [Y/N]’s finger trailed up to his chest and took a hold of his tie. The sight of [Y/N] in tight and long dresses seemed to have a specific effect on him… it was a delirious effect. She sighed into his lips, he felt the soft murmur vibrating against his mouth, and he wanted to wrap his hands around her waist again, to explore and taste what laid underneath her dress, to see her with nothing but those high heels on… to dig deep—

Sam tapped loudly on the microphone. “Ok, lovebirds. Time to knock it off. _What_ did I tell you earlier?”

Steve cleared his throat and turned around to face the stage. Sam was standing there with a microphone in one hand and a glass of cava in the other. The attendees of the party hushed and listened to what Sam had to say. 

“Oh no, he’s _actually_ speeching.” [Y/N] gasped. 

“You shouldn’t have given him ideas.” Steve was half amused and half frustrated with the interruption. 

“When I'm told not to do something, or told to do something ironically, I have the tendency to do it just to stick it to the man. Or in this case, to [Y/N].” Sam took a moment to stare into [Y/N]’s eyes. “Something we both have in common, so you two lovebirds brought this on yourself.” 

[Y/N] shook her head from side to side, pleading with Sam to play nice. 

“Now I've gotten to know [Y/N] a little bit better over the last year. She's a really sweet and thoughtful girl, but given that I'm Steve's best man...” Sam raised his glass towards Steve and a grin appeared on his face. “I'll focus on you, my man.” 

[Y/N] let out a little sigh and Steve removed his hand from his pocket, and placed it behind the small of [Y/N]'s back to caress her gently. Surrounded by his closest friends, the man was all smiles. 

“I met Steve many years ago when I was running tracks in the National Mall in Washington, down by the Potomac river. It’s a really good spot…”

“Seriously, he’s starting at the beginning of your little love story?” [Y/N] pulled on Steve's jacket while she whispered the words. Steve laughed and leaned in for a kiss. 

“Hey, focus. Best man speaking here.” Sam jibed with a confident smile. “But good running spots aside, Steve came across as a somewhat playful fella at first, _but boy was I wrong_. That man is as serious as a heart attack, and I like to pride myself and sometimes Natasha -where is she?- on bringing out his more lighthearted side… but honestly that’s like digging a grave with a fork. Anyways, enough metaphors. [Y/N] came around, and suddenly Steve did not shut up about her. There were times that I even prayed he’d go back to being his stony-faced self. I thought this man was supposed to be all compassionate about others, is that not how the people describe Captain America? But he showed no compassion for my ears… Nah, I’m just pulling your chain, Steve.” 

“Doesn’t sound like it.” [Y/N] said under her breath, and Steve pulled her closer to his side, grinning from ear to ear, eyes twinkling.

“Steve and I have been on many missions over the years, but there was one that stood out to me. When we were stationed in Taiwan…” Sam continued undisturbed. 

“Oh jeeze…” Steve stiffened a little, and [Y/N]’s interest was piqued. 

“After our mission came to a successful end, like it often does with our team, Steve went out of his way to help out a friend. This friend is me. Here’s the backstory: Having caught all the regular Pokémon in my area, I started looking for rarer and harder to find Pokémon, especially of the bird-variety… because _hey_.” Sam raised his shoulders and arms in a suave fashion. “Man’s gotta have his passions.” [Y/N] looked at Sam’s girlfriend who at that point rolled her eyes. “So when I learned that there was a huge nest of Farfetch’d Pokémon in Fukuoka, Steve cleared me to go find them, and he even joined me on this epic adventure. We spent a good four days on boats and in cars trying to get there, and there must be something about the East China Sea, because Steve was as sick as a dog for most of the trip, but he soldiered through it. Hell, he got penalized for taking an unauthorized detour during the mission. All for my birdies.” 

_What?_ [Y/N] shook her head. This speech was not making any sense. 

“What I’m trying to say…” Sam continued. So there was a point? [Y/N] thought as she looked at Sam who walked around the stage and spoke with ease to the puzzled crowd. 

“Steve is a great friend. I know that I can always expect from him to have my back, and he’ll cover my flanks too.” 

Back? Flanks? She cleared her throat and whispered, “He’s extremely focused on the physical aspects…” 

“[Y/N]…” Steve emphasized each syllable of her name severely, but the grin had not disappeared from his face. She winked at him and he shook his head with downcast eyes. 

“Besides being a great friend, or person, he is also a very determined one. Steve will stop at nothing to achieve his goals, and now that he’s found the woman of his dreams. His very own Brooklyn-girl, I know that he will do whatever is in his power to keep her happy. I think that means you’re a hell of a lucky woman, [Y/N]. So here’s to the both of you!” Sam raised his glass, took a sip, then bowed to the cheering audience. _Probably happy that he stopped talking_. 

“Like he recited a love poem” [Y/N] applauded along with the crowd. 

Steve laughed, “Only a little.”

Sam walked over to the couple and they thanked him for his _long_ and entirely relevant speech. [Y/N] might have made some more jabs, especially when he told some entertaining stories about Steve and Sam’s time together at the Avengers tower. The afterparty of Sam’s birthday two years ago was very scandalous -for Sam, Steve seemed to be part of the self-appointed cleanup crew- and [Y/N] wished she could have been part of it. As the night was finally coming to its end, [Y/N] and Steve leaned on one of the cocktail tables. Her feet were hurting, and she was ready to call it a night. All the canapés were consumed, most of the (non-)alcoholic bottles were finished, and guests were gradually leaving the venue. 

“Didn’t you enjoy living in the Avengers tower? Sam made it sound like you did.”

“Yeah, I did but being deprived of everything you know, it makes you try to hold on to the things that still remind you of you, or of home.”

“So you decided to go back to Brooklyn?”

“It’s where I’m from after all, no matter how much the world is changing, I still know all the streets in my old neighborhood.” 

“Had _that_ many good memories here?”

“Not really.” **–** He laughed wistfully **–** “I got beat up a lot. But hey, that’s part of my history.”

“Hm, here’s to making more memories then. _Good_ memories.” She raised her glass to meet his. They had been doing that a lot tonight. She might be a little drunk at this point. 

“I’ll drink to that.” Their glasses clinked, their eyes met, and their bubbly drinks were imbibed. 

“When you’ve suffered for so long in your life, it becomes the only thing you know. I get that. I’m going to show you things can be different.” She said and he kissed her forehead, letting out a content sigh.

“I love you, my sweetheart.”

“I love you too, Steve.”


End file.
